For all those Leaving Certificate students feeling sorry for themselves this weekend, spare a thought for the teacher who is sitting a startling 30 exams.

Eoin Jackson, a maths teacher in Waterford, says he is attempting the examathon to raise money for his school and because he has a "love for exams and exam time".

"I get quite depressed when exam-time is over. So last year I just had this idea that in 2010 I would sit 20 higher level and 10 ordinary level subjects."

Where the average student is sitting seven exams, on the opening week of the exams Jackson was tested on English, Hebrew Studies, Home Economics, Engineering, Maths and Geography and the schedule is set to get tougher.

On the final day of exams, 25 June, he will sit five exams in the one day. He will arrive at 9am, sit subjects like Applied Maths and Japanese and finally leave the exam hall at quarter to midnight.

"It is going to be gruelling. Already I find I am shattered and I have the worst part yet to come."

The maths teacher says he is hoping to pass 25 of the 30 subjects, yet ironically admits he fears he may fail maths.

"I might be the maths teacher who failed maths. It's not looking good there. That's not a happy thought. I definitely failed Hebrew Studies, I calculated my results and I got an E. I'm also dreading Irish; it is so tedious."

Jackson may have a little more sympathy for his students now, however, after falling into a trap which he is constantly warning his classes about.

"During the English exam I went and wrote a mammoth essay, and I am forever telling my students not to do that, to manage your time right or you will regret it. And then I ended up not having enough time to finish the paper," he says.

The Waterford man only received clearance from the Department of Education and the State Exams Commission (SEC) last February, and had to submit proposals and solutions for timetable clashes.

He now hopes to receive sponsoring for the examathon in the run-up to the results as he attempts to raise money for his school, the XLc Secondary School, a second level version of the popular Educate Together primary schools.

"We have a more open environment in our school and we have a different approach to learning. But we are not state funded and so we need to raise money in different ways. Hopefully this will help," he added.