Leaving Cert Business
Emmet - Higher Level
Oh wow, the business exam wasnt too bad at all! It started at 9:30AM & finished at 12:30pm. I was really happy with this paper overall. the short questions were generally easy with a break even chart thrown in, handy marks may i say. The ABQ was realy nice, it was about RIM LTD which was kind of a community development project which did really well, where it facilitated market stalls in a factory vacated by a GMNC. Questions included, choosing suitable finance for the local business people in financing the project and for stall holders, and another on evaluating their promotional campaign. It must also be pointed out that it was the easiest ABQ to get relevant quotes from, which was a help. the ratios question was very easy and gud for catching up on lost time on the ABQ! Q1 asked about proceedures an employer should take when dismissing employees, and evaluating role ofthe NCA. Q2 looked at how reduction on public expenditure and taxation impacted on business, which was tricky enough and Q7 looked at factors to consider when choosing channel of distribution, evaluate product design/packaging etc and reasons for an Irish toy company wishing to expand. I did find however that this years paper had very specific questions, which did make the paper challenging. but i was quite impressed to find mini case studies to help you answer the question as it helped ground your answer into real life. Hoping to come out with at least a B3 fingers crossed, we were very tied for time in exam. Nearly finished now, economics and thats it!
ISSU Commentary
The tendency of Leaving Certificate exams demanding students to simply regurgitate what they have learned seems to be a thing of the past. They now are being asked to apply their knowledge, this was especially obvious in today’s business examination according to many teachers and pupils. Some parts of the higher level exam were challenging, which was expected to a certain degree. The choice element was again a major positive, and there were no immense shocks to be found. There was a change in thee ‘ratio’ question. The short questions were ‘typical’. Question 1 (A) of the long questions were very specific and challenging which focused on a fairly precise area of the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 – 2007. Question 5 (B) the ratios were satisfactory. However some had difficulty with the Return on Investment (ROI) calculation. Students were asked to compare the ratio with industry averages, this might have surprised some, as it was the first time for such a question to appear. The paper was overall ‘absolutely fine, consistent with past papers, with plenty of choice’. Students reaction with the higher level exam was mainly positive, while the ordinary level had a more varied response. Many higher level students found the Applied Business Question (ABQ) to be particularly challenging. Some ordinary level students found the short questions to be difficult.
Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.
Leaving Cert History
Hugh - Higher Level
Ok first things first, document based question, as anticipated we had the Indian independence case study thrown at us. Questions 1-3 contained fairly basic questions on the accompanying documents, which consisted of an extract from a Cabinet Mission report on the situation in India and a Daily Mail cartoon. The questions tested students ability to comprehend, compare and critically analyse the two documents, with the 40 mark (out of 100 for the section overall) question asking about the difficulties associated with British withdrawal from India. Overall this section was, as usual, very student friendly.The second Irish topic, Movements for Political and Social Reform, 1870-1914 was generally well received, with questions on the Suffrage movement, the strengths and weaknesses of Parnell as a leader, an interesting two part question on the Ulster Question and the development of Unionism, and a question on the contributions of the GAA, the Gaelic League and the Anglo-Irish Literary Revival to Irish cultural revival. I had a go at the Ulster Question/Unionism 1870-1914, which was unusual in that it asked for an explanation of a concept-the Ulster Question in conjunction with an element. This type of question is rare but regardless shows that the key political concepts on the course can't be ignored.The pursuit of sovereignty and the impact of partition section was absolutely off the walls, opening with a question on the impact the threat and use of physical force had on Ireland, this question was unusual in its format and had a very broad scope, including the formation of the Ulster Volunteers, the formation of the Irish Volunteers, the 1916 Rising, the War of Independence and the Civil war. All of which would usually form a question in their own right! I tackled the most straight forward question there on the significance of the 1932 Eucharistic Congress, though I was tempted by the question on the security policy of the Northern government 1920-1945 which could be combined with economic policy. Anglo Irish relations 1923-1949 was also asked.For the Dictatorship and Democracy section I did the question on the extent to which Hitler's foreign policy 1933-1939 was responsible for the outbreak of the Second World War. There were also some straight-forward questions on Stalin's rule in Russia, the challenges facing France 1920-1945 and a slightly unexpected one on Anti-semitism and the Holocaust, 1920-1945 something most students wouldn't have had an awful lot of material on.Overall this was a very mixed paper, with some straight-forward questions coupled with some surprises. As in all History exams timing was very difficult. The amount of material expected from candidates in such a short space of time is a bit unreasonable, an extra ten minutes on this exam would have been very welcome!
Please note: blog posts reflect the opinion of the author and not necessarily the opinion of the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union. Blogs are updated daily by 6.30 pm on scheduled examination dates.
President Higgins invites young people to offer their Vision for Ireland
The President of Ireland wants to hear your visionPresident Higgins invites young people to offer their vision for Ireland
President Higgins is inviting young Irish people to make multimedia submissions on their vision for Ireland to his Being Young and Irish consultation and seminar. Being Young and Irish is the first in a series of Presidency Seminars.Young people aged 17 to 26 years can use whatever media suits them best to put forward their vision for Ireland. Examples include narrative, song, poetry, video or audio recordings. In their submission to www.president.ie or via post to Áras an Uachtaráin young Irish people at home and abroad should address the following questions:· What is your vision for Ireland? · What can you and other young people do to achieve this? · What else needs to happen to make your proposals possible? The deadline for submissions to the multimedia consultation for Being Young and Irish is 29 September 2012. Find out how to make a submission here (http://www.president.ie/
National Student Executive 2012-2013
Election Results Declared @ 4.10pm on April 4th 2012
Secretary: Ann Marie Burns, St. Anne’s Secondary SchoolEducation Officer: Brendan Power, CBS CallanEquality Officer: Mark Caffrey, Ratoath CollegeStudent Council Support Officer: Asha Aisling Doris, Confey CollegeOifigeach na Gaelige: David Minihane, Cólaiste an Spioráid Naomha, CorkPublic Relations Officer: Nathan O’Connor, CBS WexfordInternational Officer: Claire Stone, Mercy College GalwayWelfare Officer: Emmett Clarke, CBS CallanDeputy President: Gerrard Quinn, Mount Mellick Community CollegePresident: Dylan Grace, Gaelcoláiste LuiminighLeanne Caulfield was returned as Honorary PresidentJames Doorley, returning officer deemed the aforementioned duly allocated at 4.1opm
New iConnect Card ‘Means Big Savings for Students’
Second-level students can now make big savings in almost 100 outlets across the country when they sign up to the new ‘recession-buster’ iConnect Student ID and Discount Card.And students who purchase the new iConnect card before March 31 2012 will be in with a chance to win two return flights to New York!The iConnect Card is the only dedicated ID and discount card for second-level students and young people aged 12-18 years.The card has been developed jointly by the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) as part of their innovative YouthConnect programme http://www.youth-connect.ie/The card costs just €13 and is available in schools nationwide, online at www.studentcard.ie, or by calling into any USIT office.Students who purchase the card before March 31, 2012 and visit the iConnect Facebook page to share the competition link will be entered into the draw for a prize of two return tickets to New York, courtesy of Delta Air Lines.Speaking at the iConnect launch, Leanne Caulfield of ISSU said: “This card is the perfect recession tonic for students and their parents – giving young people the chance to make real savings!Fiona Dunne of YouthConnect said: “Sign up and get involved, this is a great opportunity for hard-pressed students.”ENDS 
ISSU concerned about second-level teacher cuts
05/12/2011
The Irish Second-Level Students’ Union (ISSU) is greatly concerned by proposals in Budget 2012 to slash the number of second-level teaching posts by 700 and restrict student services for the academic year 2012/13.We are extremely concerned by any cuts on this scale, but particularly concerned as there are significant reforms taking place in the Junior and Senior Cycle which will require a more diverse range of expertise in school’s teaching staff. Cutting 700 teaching posts will hugely hamper school’s ability to implement the new Junior Cycle syllabus in 2014 – it is envisaged that students will be able to take short-courses in new subject areas, but significant teacher cuts will limit school’s capacity to maintain their current subject load. The Department is misguided in removing additional hours for guidance councilors in schools. A move which will impact directly on vulnerable students.The ISSU is also concerned at how DEIS schools are being disproportionately hit, and urge the Minister to revisit this decision. Furthermore, we are very disappointed that the allowance for 16 and 17 year olds participating in Youthreach, Community Training Centres and FAS courses is being reduced to €40, and may result in fewer vunerable students remaining in education.Speaking today, an ISSU spokesperson described the cuts to guidance and counseling services as "shocking". Sly cuts like this impact on vulnerable students directly. We must remember that guidance councillors do more than just guide students on their options after second-level education, but are also someone students can turn too when they are in need. Guidance Councilors are the bedrock of any school and it is unjust to target this invaluable service.It is also envisged that schools will have more atonomy over capitation and programme funding – which is a welcome step.Yet again, young people are suffering for the mistakes of the past decade - a decade in which, we, the celtic tiger cubs were heedless to the negligence of the policy makers that left us in the economic crisis we find ourselves.Contact:ISSU National Office: 01 443 4461www.issu.ie, email communications@issu.ie