This Reboot podcast talks to four wonderful and eloquent Leaving Cert students, Isabelle Flanagan, Ryan McGinley, Bernadette Sanchez and Matthew Ryan, about their views about doing in the Leaving Cert in the middle of a global pandemic. We look at proposals for different options for the Leaving Cert 2021, including predictive grades and reduced material. Importantly they highlight the need for the Minister for Education, Norma Foley and the Department of Education to listen to students. They also talk about the stress and anxiety of the Leaving Cert during COVID, the mental health impact of this, but also the wider COVID pandemic, how difficult it is to concentrate and study at home, particularly with bigger families, poor technology etc.

The panel also outline their sense of hope, and that young people can bring about change. There is real hope for the future with these young voices. We should all listen.

For more on the ISSU see: https://www.issu.ie/2021-survey

The petition is available here: https://www.change.org/p/500-make-predicted-grades-optional-for-the-class-of-2021?utm_content=cl_sharecopy_24621500_en-GB%3A4&recruiter=1129119626&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_campaign=tap_basic_share

To support this podcast, and we need the help, please go to: patreon.com/tortoiseshack