A PARENT’S VIEW: believe that the exams should be cancelled completely

I AM writing this as a very concerned parent of a student who is currently in sixth year and due to sit the Leaving Cert this year.

Whilst all this Covid-19 is happening, and obviously schools are closed, I believe the decision to postpone the exams until July / August is not a great solution, and personally believe that the exams should be cancelled completely. My reasons are as follows:

- Not all courses are completed. Online remote learning is not for every student, most need to be in a classroom environment to be effective.

- Going back to school for two weeks prior to exams is not really enough, but prolonging it is not really a valid option.

Although this is a stressful time of year every year, the stress has been massively upped with students losing loved ones and not seeing extended family and friends.

The exams do not define people.

I have been thinking a lot over the past few weeks of solutions, should, which I hope that does happen, how to overcome the issues with colleges. The main solutions could be resolved, in my opinion are:

- Predictive grades given by teachers, they know the students better and their capabilities.

- All colleges, universities, further education establishments, larger companies such as Dublin Aerospace, ESB, who offer apprenticeships should have an assessment test / aptitude test/ entrance exam. Students sit these for their first two CAO choices, and along with school recommendations this would give a truer reflection of the students abilities for the chosen course.

- All secondary schools should give all students a personalised reference which will be of benefit for those who want to go straight into employment.

These are only my views, and as a very stressed parent, with elderly family members in nursing and terminal illnesses, I know my child, who is very intelligent, is struggling with everything at the moment and will most probably underachieve, as I believe 1000s of other 6th year students will too.

Name and address with Editor.