From TheJournal.ie
MINISTER FOR EDUCATION Ruairà Quinn has offered his congratulations to the tens of thousands of Leaving Cert students who receive their exam results today.
Over 55,800 students sat this year ’s Leaving Cert, and it was the first time that two of the five parts of the new Project Maths syllabus were examined at that level.
“I hope the results they receive today reflect the work they have put into their studies over the past two years, ” Minister Quinn said in his message to students.
“Enjoy the celebrations tonight and look out for one another, ” Minister Quinn added. “You deserve to celebrate your achievements and to look forward to the next chapter in your lives. ”
“While much of our congratulations and good wishes must go to the students who receive their exam results today, I also want to pay tribute to their parents, families, teachers and school communities who have helped them achieve this milestone today. ”
The minister also thanked the State Exams Commission for overseeing the examinations process.
Quinn encouraged any students who may be disappointed with their results to consider other options open to them such as FETAC awards:
The Leaving Cert is a significant rite of passage in Irish life and will open new doors of opportunity in education and training for our young people. However, it is not the only avenue into the next stage of your life.
A helpline opens at 10am this morning to offer advice for Leaving Certificate students, their families and teachers on exam-related issues such as rechecks, repeats, the points system and CAO offers. The Exams Helpline 2012 is being manned by professional guidance counsellors.
Meanwhile, Alcohol Action Ireland is urging parents of Leaving Cert students to talk to their children about their plans for marking their results.
“We would encourage parents to ask students how they ’re feeling about their results and to discuss with them their plans for the evening and to find out if these plans involve drinking or not, who they are going with and how they are going to get home, ” Alcohol Action Ireland director Fiona Ryan said.
“All of these are routine questions parents ask but exam celebrations for a lot of teenagers can be a departure from what they would normally do. It is also worth reminding them that if they do choose to drink and find themselves in difficulties it is better they contact home immediately rather than worry about the repercussions of their drinking. ”
“There is a real and immediate obligation on alcohol retailers – pubs, nightclubs, supermarkets and off-licenses – to ensure that they are not selling alcohol to underage drinkers, ” she added.
