Moate Principal clashes with State Exam board chiefs

The Principal of Moate Community School has said the State Examinations Commission (SEC) has “lost touch with students and with the education system” after Leaving Cert students in his school were “reduced to tears” by their Maths Paper 1 on Friday last.

Tom Lowry took the unprecedented step of writing a letter of complaint to the SEC, which has its headquarters in Athlone, over the weekend, and said has has received “overwhelming support” not just from parents and students all over the country, but from fellow Principals as well.

“The levels of distress I witnessed in our school on Friday last was very difficult to watch to tell you the truth, and it goes against the ethos of everything I stand for as a educator and a former Maths teacher” said Mr. Lowry “of course students have to be challenged in their exams, but this exam was not designed to challenge the students, it was designed to catch them out.”

Mr. Lowry said he has received no response from the SEC “not do I expect to, unless I get a generic email” but he said the Leaving Cert Maths Paper 1 reduced many of his students to tears and “completely undermined their confidence” and he asked “what was the purpose of setting such a difficult paper.”

A total of 120 students sat the Leaving Cert Maths exam in Moate Community School on Friday last, with roughly 50% opting for the Higher Level paper, which carries extra points. Mr. Lowry said the Leaving Cert is “already a high-stakes exam” which carries its own stress, without the SEC adding additional stress.

“We hear a lot about student mental health and well-being and how it must be fostered but who in the SEC gave any consideration to that aspect when they were setting this Maths paper? asked Mr. Lowry.