I am writing to you in order to voice my opinion with regard to the article headlined "The Junior Cert may be axed to save €30m" (News, 1 November).

I am a sixth-year secondary school student and I was shocked and appalled by this article. The very thought of abolishing the Junior Cert examination in order to save our government money is frightful. Yes, we are currently in financial turmoil, but education is the way forward and the youth of today are the future.

The Junior Cert exam is not only a means of testing students' standard of intellect but it is also an exam which prepares them for their Leaving Cert. By having students sit their Junior Cert, it shows them the kind of revision, stress and exam techniques that come with the Leaving Cert which they will be faced with in two or three years.

By stamping out the Junior Cert, the government is sending out a message to students that their education is of little importance to the country. Also, if the Junior Cert is eradicated, the work-load for the Leaving Cert will be tripled as all the work from first to sixth year would be tested on the Leaving Cert. This would all be put down to saving our government more money.

What is next – axing the Leaving Cert to save another €30m?

Kristin Nason,

Co Dublin