The National Parents Council Post Primary (NPCpp) recently launched Exam Helpline 2013 which offers advice, information and support to Leaving Certificate students who received their exam results this week. The helpline is open to students, parents and teachers looking for advice and information on what choices are available.

The helpline is sponsored by eircom and the Irish Independent, supported by the Department of Education and Skills and staffed by members of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors. The helpline received over 4,000 calls last year which shows what a valuable resource it is, helping students make informed decisions about the choices they face and their future career paths.

Those seeking advice, information or reassurance can contact the helpline on 1800 265 165 which will be manned by experienced guidance counsellors. All queries on 3rd level courses, the points system, rechecks, repeats, CAO procedures, apprenticeships and further training options will be dealt with in professional and confidential manner.

Commenting on Exam Helpline 2013 Jackie O’Callaghan, Helpline Co-ordinator said “The National Parents Council post primary is very pleased to once again provide the Leaving Certificate Helpline 2013. The Helpline has in the past been a great source of accurate and up to date information and is one of the many important services we at NPCpp provide. In association with, and without whom, we would find it extremely difficult to provide such a service, eircom and the Irish Independent as well as the DES, the Helpline runs for a duration of six days in total – August 14th, 15th and 16th to answer exam result queries and on August 19th 20th and 21st for queries regarding the CAO first round offers.

The Helpline is staffed by members of the Institute of guidance counsellors who are fully qualified in their field. In recent years calls to the helpline have increased which shows the need for the personal touch at the end of a phone line at a very stressful time for students and their parents.

Mary Carney, head of public policy, eircom said it is part of eircom’s overall commitment to provide support and resources for the education of Irish post primary students.

“Our StudyHub service is a great educational resource providing top quality tutorials to help students prepare for their Junior and Leaving Certificate exams. Getting your Leaving Cert results is often a stressful time for many and the helpline provides much needed support and reassurance to students, their parents and teachers”.

Katherine Donnelly, Education Editor of The Irish Independent said: “School-leavers are at an important milestone in their lives and it is crucial that they and their parents can access the right advice.

“Each individual is different and the helpline experts will be there to provide information and reassurance and to help guide students towards the path that best suits them. Today’s school-leavers will be entering an employment market in a rapidly-changing world and time spent talking to a career guidance professional is an investment in a bright future”.

It is expected that again this year thousands of queries from all over the country will be handled by the helpline. Those wishing to contact the Exam Helpline can do so on 1800 265 165.