I am a Junior Certificate student of 2020. I have created this petition with the aim of getting the Junior Certificate cancelled for the 3rd year class of 2020. I do so not to be lazy, but as I believe it is in the students' and governments' best interests.

I believe with the ongoing pandemic (COVID-19) having caused Irish schools to close for 5 weeks, students should not be made sit the exam, especially with only six weeks until the final examination. This is not adequate time for students to prepare for such an exam. I do not feel as though I can sit the exam as my class have not completed all the required course material. For the past three weeks with online school, I have found revision next to impossible, this alongside my teachers having not finished the entire course, is too much stress on me and other students alike. Teachers are expecting students to be able to cover entire chapters and courses by themselves with little to no help as teachers are already under huge amounts of pressure.

I do not in any way blame teachers for this, in fact, I commend teachers for putting in such tremendous efforts to complete course work and to finalise all revision, especially under these totally unforeseen circumstances. But the idea of students sitting an exam in June is fantastical and inconsiderate

I offer a remedy to this issue; results from the Junior Certificate Pre Exam being used instead. This not only lowers the risk on students' and faculties' health but also helps free up exam centres and lessens the load for examiners so they can focus on the much more important Leaving Certificate Exam.

Please help by signing this petition,

Thank you.