Leaving Cert is the ‘start and not the finish’ says Limerick principal

“IT’S ANOTHER start - not a finish,” was the sage advice of one Limerick principal about the Leaving Cert exams.

On Wednesday, June 5, more than 136,000 students across the country will sit their State exams in both Junior Cert and Leaving Cert levels.

In Limerick 2,808 will sit their Leaving Cert, while 3,501 will take their Junior Cert exams.

Scoil Pól principal in Kilfinane, Mike O’Hara, told the Limerick Leader, that their exam students are anxious, but also looking forward to getting the exams started.

“They have worked hard for two years and they are ready - they’re not cocky, but they’re quietly confident,” he said.

Mr O’Hara said that having more project work to contribute to the overall grade has taken some of the pressure off the exam days.

He told the Limerick Leader that how the Leaving Cert is perceived now has very much changed over the years.

“Before, it was very much do or die. You had one rattle and you went in one direction. Now, it has evolved to where students are fully aware that this is the start and not the finish - it’s a stepping stone to where they will eventually finish up.”

Mr O’Hara also welcomed a reinvigoration with the number of students doing apprenticeships and the variety of courses and pathways available to students to get to the career they want.

The Kilfinane principal said that kind of flexibility gives students more options and takes a lot of the pressure off.

Principal of Coláiste Chiaráin in Croom, Ger O’Sullivan told the Limerick Leader that it’s all about being prepared and calm and he urged students, based on his own Leaving Cert mistakes, to read the paper thoroughly and carefully.

He said that it all gets easier once the first day of exams has been done and he urged students not to agonise over any possible mistakes, for nothing else can be done once the paper is handed in.

“Do one exam and reset for the next one and work through the process - don’t do post mortems on each exam,” Mr O’Sullivan said, adding that sticking to a good routine of sleep, healthy eating and study will help.

Mr O’Sullivan made the point that it isn’t just the student who feels the pressure of these exams, it seeps out into the wider family home.

“I think as a family and as parents, all we can do is listen and support and assure the kids that they will be fine.”

Mr O'Sullivan said nerves are normal, but students can take control by being prepared, having what they need and having timetables and travel plans firmly in place.

He said at this time, the whole school comes together to support the students and their families.

The Croom principal told the Limerick Leader that the Leaving Cert is a big thing, but it won’t define these teenage students and no matter what, they all have bright futures ahead of them.