Ms Niamh Kilcawley:

For my exams, I was told my junior certificate examinations would be modified, which means there would be no diagrams. However, when I sat the exams a question on the paper that was meant to be adapted gave the instruction to look at the picture and answer the question. I am sure members are aware I cannot do that. I had to rely on my scribe for the interpretation of the picture to be able to answer the question. I do not understand how people with no individual experience can adapt my paper when they clearly do not know how. I want to be able to be independent and I am relying on parents.

I do not have enough equipment in school for me to be able to do my homework by myself. I am going into fifth year next year. How is that going to work for me? I should not have to rely on my parents. They have better things to be doing than my homework. If I am not able to do my homework, I am far behind everyone else and I have to pre-learn things. How is it acceptable to tell somebody there is not enough equipment for them and they will not be given enough time in their exams? That basically says to me that it does not matter, that I will not have the same chances as everyone else. It is upsetting and worrying to me there is no co-operation with the Department of Education. I do not want to get extra help. I do not want to have an advantage over everyone else. I want to make a difference and to have the same opportunities as everyone else. I want to be able to help not only myself, but others who come after me. That needs to happen soon and I hope it happens before my leaving certificate.