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Irish Independent
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
‘We'll put an end to students doomscrolling on smartphones' – Tánaiste vows to get young people ‘talking and laughing' again
Phone pouches for schools are now to be joined by other forms of secure storage after a cabinet decision this week. Funding of €9m was allocated in the last Budget for the pouches, which Sinn Féin immediately branded an example of government waste. However, a central procurement arrangement will be put in place to enable nationwide phone bans starting from the next school year. Schools can apply for funding support for 'phone-storage solutions', starting at primary school level, with post-primary schools to follow. Examples of phone-storage options include pouches, lockable boxes, cubby holes and drop-off and collection at the school office. 'This is a pragmatic and sensible way to proceed,' Mr Harris said. 'I think it will be welcomed by school principals, teachers, boards of management and, I believe, young people. 'We need to look at what more we need to do to allow our children be children. 'We need to allow them to learn and be educated in a safe environment, with the sounds of young people laughing and talking to each other – rather than doomscrolling on their phones during the day.' Guidance will soon be provided to all schools on putting policies in place to ensure they are mobile-free zones during the day. Students will be encouraged to disconnect and to learn, Mr Harris said. They could also 'make friends without the distractions that can arise from the use of mobile phones'. Further guidance will be provided to post-primary schools, outlining the terms, conditions and mechanisms to apply for funding. ADVERTISEMENT Fine Gael TD Frank Feighan said it was also about 'how young people might be protected from cyber bullying in the classroom setting'. He said that in Northern Ireland the phone pouch scheme was implemented, despite some opposition. 'It is clear that every school is different and must be enabled financially to implement their particular strategy on the curtailment of the use of smart phones during class time,' he said. A survey in 2023 of more than 1,000 school students, conducted by Studyclix, found that 83pc were worried they used their phones too much. A total of 38pc said they used their smartphone for more than four hours per day, with 60pc within this cohort using them for more than six hours.
Irish Examiner
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
'Accessible' Leaving Cert history exam will have left some students 'bitterly disappointed'
Students who were hoping to see Charles Stewart Parnell or the Montgomery Bus Boycott appear on this year's Leaving Cert history will be 'bitterly disappointed' with an otherwise accessible exam. The Leaving Cert 2025 exams continued on Wednesday afternoon with history. This year's higher level paper, which requires students to tackle one document-based question as well as three essay-style questions, was 'accessible', according to ASTI subject spokesman Philip Irwin. "I thought it was a good paper for students.' In particular, he liked this year's documents question, which focused on the Jarrow March of 1936. 'That was one of three case studies in the dictatorship and democracy in Europe section. The other two are the show trials in Stalin's Russia, which came up last year, and the Nuremberg rallies," Mr Irwin said. 'I would suspect that students were more looking for the Nuremberg rallies [to appear on the exam].' The sources supplied in the question were good, he added. This included a government statement issued at the time, and the other an extract from a newspaper report about the Jarrow March. 'The questions on it were also good, with one asking students to compare and contrast the documents. It was an interesting question overall, and I think that students would have found it accessible and doable. The Irish history section included some good general questions, but students may have found a question on Éamon de Valera's leadership more challenging, he added. Students were asked to discuss how effective his leadership was during the Treaty negotiations, Civil War, and during the Second World War. 'Quite a bit to deal with there, sometimes those questions are either or, so that was more challenging.' Another challenging question appeared in the US history section, which asked students to discuss how and why religion became an increasingly powerful force in American life between 1945 to 1989. Many students will have been surprised not to see questions on Charles Stewart Parnell or the Montgomery Bus Boycott appear on the higher-level paper, according to teacher and Studyclix subject spokesman Jamie Dockery. 'Those who placed all their bets on these topics, undoubtedly a sizeable number, will be bitterly disappointed," Mr Dockery said. However, there was much to be pleased with in this paper. The ordinary level paper should also have been generally well received by students and teachers, Mr Dockery added. The Jarrow March was also the focus of the documents question, he added. 'I very much welcome the higher and ordinary level exam having similar questions, particularly considering that the average senior history groups will have higher and ordinary Level students learning together in the one class.' "Many of the main personalities from Irish history found their way into the exam, he added. This including O'Connell, Yeats, Cosgrave and de Valera. 'Women will also well represented in the guise of Hanna Sheehy-Skeffington and Countess Markievicz and Maureen O'Hara, among others. "As a history teacher, my hope for any exams is that it will give the diligent and hardworking student a chance to show off all they know, and this exam certainly did that.' Read More Tough French comprehension exam challenges Leaving Cert students
Irish Times
11-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Live reaction to State exams: Leaving Cert French and Junior Cycle home economics
10 minutes ago Leaving Cert: French (9.30-12 midday) and history (2-4.50pm) Junior Cycle: Home economics (9.30-11am) and Spanish (1.30-3.30pm) Student diary : 'I'm aiming for as high as I can get – then it's time for Albufeira' Classroom to College : Sign up to our essential newsletter on the exams, third level and further education 9 minutes ago 07/06/2024 - The exam hall at Lucan Community College. exams, Leaving Certificate, Junior Certificate stock Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times Junior Cycle home economics: Paper 'brought a smile to students and teachers' This morning's Junior Cycle home economics paper was very 'doable, fair and relatable to students lives', says Megan Friel, Studyclix subject expert and home economics teacher at Mercy College, Sligo. All the short questions were very straightforward with no tricks or curveballs, she said. As was widely predicted, Friel says the theme of sustainability and smart technology appeared in the short questions — a common and relevant topic in both home economics and broader global discussions. 'Section B, Question 11 began with a well-structured fill-in-the-blanks activity, supported by a word bank,' says Friel. 'The question was based on baking a cake — a practical and relatable topic that allowed students to connect theory with their practical cooking class." Question 11, she says, had a strong and well-integrated link to consumer studies, reflecting the recent trend of including one question that draws on content from multiple chapters. 'The task of drawing a bedroom floor plan was practical and relevant, which could allow students to apply the content to their personal living spaces. Plan a two-course dinner menu and provide meal planning also appeared which is highly predictable and frequent question,' she says. 'The inclusion of the Return Deposit Scheme — also seen on some mock papers — was likely a welcome relief for students. The main food commodity was Vegetables which incorporated questions on nutrition, cooking and how consumers can identify fresh vegetables before purchasing." Friel says students would have been familiar with the diagram of the design brief process, and the follow-up question relating to designing an apron was straightforward and commonly seen in past papers. 'Overall, the exam featured very topical and student-friendly questions that were manageable and free of unpleasant surprises — sure to bring a smile to both students and teachers,' says Friel.
Irish Examiner
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Rory Gallagher and ‘Hurlamaboc' feature on well-received Leaving Cert Irish paper
Music legend Rory Gallagher appeared in one of this year's Leaving Cert léamhthuiscint passages, alongside the long-awaited Hurlamaboc, on an exam paper well-received by students. This year's Leaving Cert exams continued on Tuesday morning with Irish Paper 2, while Junior Cycle students sat graphics and Italian. Students were pleased with the Higher Level Irish Paper 2, according to teacher Stephen Doyle, Studyclix subject spokesperson. The two reading comprehensions were well chosen, he added. These included two texts — léamhthuiscintí — the first focused on Rory Gallagher, and the second on sport in Ireland. These were 'very relevant' and 'easy to relate to', Mr Doyle said. 'Both were very manageable.' 'A sigh of relief could be heard as the long-awaited Hurlamaboc made an appearance in the prose section,' he added. Conor Mullane and Jack O'Leary after their Irish paper 2 leaving cert examination with school principal Padraig Mac An Rí at Coláiste Chríost Rí, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan Students had an option between Hurlamaboc and Oisín i dTír na nÓg, with the questions being 'very straightforward' and offering no surprises. Students were also likely pleased with the choice of poems in the poetry section, he said, with An Spailpín Fánach and Colscaradh both appearing on the 2025 paper. 'There were no difficult or tricky questions. Any student who prepared these poems will be very happy with the questions asked.' 'The final section "Litríocht Breise" offered good variety and plenty of choice." Ryan Coughlan, Lucas Healy O'Neill and Finbar Scannell after their Irish paper 2 leaving cert examination at Coláiste Chríost Rí, Cork. Picture: Dan Linehan The question on An Triail and A Thig Ná Tit Orm was straightforward and focused on the main character. 'This paper rewarded students who had studied their texts well and could write clearly about what they had learned,' Mr Doyle said. Meanwhile, the Ordinary Level paper was 'student-friendly' and covered essential topics effectively, he believed. 'There were no surprise questions,' he said. 'Overall, this paper provided ordinary level students with plenty of opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge successfully.'
Irish Examiner
09-06-2025
- General
- Irish Examiner
'Very topical' Leaving Cert Irish paper covers areas students would have expected
Irish paper 1 presented students with topics like AI and asked them to consider if Ireland is a good country to live in, as the Leaving Cert exams continued on Monday afternoon. The 2025 higher level Irish paper 1 covered key areas students would have expected, according to teacher Stephen Doyle, subject spokesperson with Studyclix. 'The aural section had clear recordings covering a good variety of topics," he said. However, while the questions were 'generally fair', some detailed questions in 'cuid c' required careful listening skills, he believed. 'The essay options gave students a wide range of current and relevant topics including people they admire, whether Ireland is a good place to live, environmental issues, and timely topics like world politics and current news stories." Students could also choose to write a story based on either 'dóchas', which means 'hope', or around the statement 'is ait an mac an saol' which means 'life is strange and wonderful'. Mr Doyle added: 'The exam was very topical and covered issues that students would be genuinely interested in, such as AI which was expected to appear, as well as global politics and whether Ireland is a good country to live in.' Ordinary level The ordinary level paper was also very accessible, he thought. 'The composition section offered simple choices including writing a blog on shopping, an interesting place or their favourite sports person. 'On the other hand, the vocabulary needed for section c, the letter, would have challenged any sixth year ordinary level student. "The story option would be welcomed by students as it allowed them to discuss music and a concert they attended. Overall, this was a manageable paper.' Leaving Cert exams continue on Tuesday with Irish paper 2 and biology, while Junior Cycle exams will continue with graphics, Italian and French.
