Paul Connaughton
Question:324 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the unrest among history teachers at second level concerning the introduction of the new leaving certificate history course and that despite the long run-in period no examination papers have been made available to teachers; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that the new syllabus contains several unfamiliar elements, teachers preparing students for the history examination in 2006 are put in a very unfair position and that without the relevant information on they way in which questions will be phrased or the level of information which will be required from students, it will be difficult to develop student skills of organising their ideas to answer the kind of questions that will be put to them and the way in which to time their answers; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that history students in previous years have the experience of being able to use old examination papers to prepare for their examination and that this facility will not be available for the 2006 leaving certificate students; if her attention has further been drawn to the fact that it is the norm for examination papers to be made available at the same time that new syllabi are being prepared; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2961/05]
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