Junior Cert English exam branded 'insensitive'

[town73]

A controversy has broken out over the contents of this morning's Junior Cert English exam.

An essay question on the Ordinary Level exam paper includes an option with the title "Travelling on a School Bus".

It is just two weeks since five teenagers died in a school bus crash in County Meath.

This morning`s paper is being branded "insensitive", and questions are being asked about why a back-up paper was not used.

[ThatGuy]

A controversy has broken out over the contents of this morning's Junior Cert English exam.

An essay question on the Ordinary Level exam paper includes an option with the title "Travelling on a School Bus".

It is just two weeks since five teenagers died in a school bus crash in County Meath.

This morning`s paper is being branded "insensitive", and questions are being asked about why a back-up paper was not used.
How did this morning's papers have any info regarding today's exams?

[Malby]

How did this morning's papers have any info regarding today's exams?
LOL very good point!!

[De Town]

How did this morning's papers have any info regarding today's exams?
I might be missing something but there is no mention off this mornings papers having any info on the exam paper :confused:

[jofyisgod]

I think they misread the last line ;)

[De Town]

I think they misread the last line ;)
That the impression I got anyway :D

[tiktok]

How did this morning's papers have any info regarding today's exams?

This morning's paper refers to the exam paper, not a newspaper ;)

[fosterdollar]

That was pretty thick of the dept. to let that one slip through. Surely somebody who was involved would remember this item being on the paper and flag it (I understand the papers are set around Christmas time). Would make you think had they even got an adequate back-up paper...

[Slash/ED]

The papers are set months in advance, no? I think it would be difficult to change the entire thing right before the exams are sat because one line mentions a bus. It's not like they were making light of the situation at all, it simply mentioned traveling on a bus, I think this is a bit of an over reaction tbf.

[tiktok]

The papers are set months in advance, no? I think it would be difficult to change the entire thing right before the exams are sat because one line mentions a bus.

Isn't there always a back-up paper though in case of leaks?

[Slash/ED]

Isn't there always a back-up paper though in case of leaks?

How easy is it to use that though? They would have to alert every exam centre in the country and then send out the back up papers to them in good time before the exam is sat, given it would have taken a while for them to even notice the fact it was there, did they have the time to do it? They may not even have remembered that question was there at all, as they probably hadn't looked at the papers in months since they set the questions.

[tiktok]

How easy is it to use that though? They would have to alert every exam centre in the country and then send out the back up papers to them in good time before the exam is sat, given it would have taken a while for them to even notice the fact it was there, did they have the time to do it? They may not even have remembered that question was there at all, as they probably hadn't looked at the papers in months since they set the questions.

The acccident was two weeks ago,. I doubt the papers would even have been delivered to the schools until yesterday/day before.

Both sets would have to have been printed in sufficient numbers in case the back-up was needed.

I'd guess it would have been a matter of circulating the alternative paper in the past few days rather than the original.

[Slash/ED]

The acccident was two weeks ago,. I doubt the papers would even have been delivered to the schools until yesterday/day before.

Both sets would have to have been printed in sufficient numbers in case the back-up was needed.

I'd guess it would have been a matter of circulating the alternative paper in the past few days rather than the original.

do they not send them out a good bit in advance too, but they're kept sealed so that nobody can see them? I wouldn't have thought they'd leave it until yesterday or the day before, too much risk of delays or problems in the post and them not arriving until it's too late.

If it was that easy then they should have given out the back up paper alright, assumeing they were aware of the question being on the paper.

[Macy]

If it was that easy then they should have given out the back up paper alright, assumeing they were aware of the question being on the paper.
They might only find out about a leak the day before, or even morning of an exam? Would the back up's not be sent or at least ready to go, at far shorter notice than 2 weeks? If not, then I think that's even more worrying...

[Slash/ED]

They might only find out about a leak the day before, or even morning of an exam? Would the back up's not be sent or at least ready to go, at far shorter notice than 2 weeks? If not, then I think that's even more worrying...

You may be right, I mean I haven't a clue, I'm only guessing here, but I'd imagine this is simply a case of either nobody remembering the question or noticing it too late to be able to change the paper. They set the questions months in advance, they'd probably have forgotten what was on each paper long ago, and I would have thought they'd be sealed up and at the schools well in advance.

[noby]

The title of the essay is pretty general, in normal circumstances, so who's to say the back-up didn't have the same essay title. Perhaps they were left with no choice, presuming they even realised the issue.

[tiktok]

The title of the essay is pretty general, in normal circumstances, so who's to say the back-up didn't have the same essay title.

True, the back-up may have only had different options on the core questions, though it's be better if nothing was the same on the two papers.

[noby]

How did this morning's papers have any info regarding today's exams?


Some tips: take your time; read it carefully; make sure you understand it fully before answering

[shedite]

They send two versions of each one to every examination center. In the 80's there was a break-in at some school up the country the night before an exam and the guys got one of the papers, but the department were able to get in touch with every school first thing the next morning, and let them know to issue the backup copy.

Can't imagine they check it for every news story throughtout the year. Pretty impossible to do. There's always gonna be people who will have soething in the paper that will spark a personal memory. I can see how it would have slipped through.

[adamcarr]

The title of the essay is pretty general, in normal circumstances, so who's to say the back-up didn't have the same essay title. Perhaps they were left with no choice, presuming they even realised the issue.
There is seven choices in personal writing section of the JC at least there is in Higher level! I dont see how they couldnt change one of them!

[Macy]

Apparently, if there's a leak they re-schedule the exam for the end of them. How long do the leaving certs go on (being an A level lad)? If it's around 2 weeks then no excuse imo.

Incidentally, whilst the point about there always being something in those questions to upset someone is valid, I don't think it's as common for a question to upset whole schools. Response from those responsible also insensitive imo.

[fosterdollar]

It was the Junior Cert and it (for most people) lasts 1.5 to 2 weeks

[Macy]

It was the Junior Cert and it (for most people) lasts 1.5 to 2 weeks
GCSE's were easy :o .... So basically 2 weeks notice should've been long enough.

[fosterdollar]

Yeah they had plenty of notice to make arrangements. Agree about issues not generally affecting whole schools which is why this case is a little different. I would have expected that the dept would make an effort to protect students from coming up against difficult reminders when they (the dept) are aware of them. Of course, we all understand they can't prevent this happening to individuals as logistics make it impossible.

[Jim Smith]

When you set an exam paper once it is cleared by external examiners/exam boards there is a tendency to deliberately forget what you have set. This means that you don't let things slip out. They probably didn't remember the questions until the papers were given out.

[pete]

I think this is being blown out of all proportion. Highlighting this could also be seen as insensitive to people affected by the bus tragedy. Media are the ones people should be criticising for putting this on the front page.

Once start on matters like this there would be no end. Do they change sections of business or geography papers that refer to transport?

[Macy]

Now I'd kinda come round to their arguement that there wasn't time to change the Junior Cert exam...... Then they can change a Leaving Cert exam at a days notice after the controversy. :rolleyes: Lying bástards....