An ideal opportunity has presented itself for creation of access for all to third level
THE Leaving Certificate has been under scrutiny for many years now along with the associated points system used to filter out those who wish to go on to third level college in this country.
It was a blunt, crude system that was totally out of touch. In a nutshell it is a failed entity and has been for many, many years but successful Ministers for Education have never taken it under their wing, just tinkering around the edges to no great effect.
To think that a child’s future after five/six years in secondary school is based around a few exams at the very end, tacked on to the conclusion of the school year is plainly unfair. Those who can remember the most do well and don’t say it’s about study or learning about or around the subject because that comes later at third level.
The Leaving Cert is an out and out memory test. A small fortune is spent by parents on grinds or at revision courses usually at Easter time. It’s such a flawed and unequal system and should have been done away with long ago. Now, due to Covid-19 the Leaving Certificate exams have been cancelled and this presents us with an ideal opportunity never to return to the past.
Assessment based results will be the outcome for the class of 2020 who have been messed about too much already with indecision being the hallmark of the Minister for Education on the issue. First, students were told that by hook or by crook the exams would be taking place at the end of July but it now appears no great plans were ever put in place for it to go ahead at all. Full marks were awarded for those doing oral exams and this has now been rescinded. Plan B was always on the cards it seems and more decisive action should have been taken by Minister Joe McHugh as soon as this crisis hit the country. It all smacks too much like the indecision surrounding St Patrick Day parades, left to the last minute.At least the Leaving Certs have finality at last and while teachers have understandably many concerns about the new system, on the face of it, it is a fair one. The teachers and principals of this country are amongst the finest in the world and they will perform this latest task of assessing their students to the best of their ability and in an impartial manner.
Indeed, they should be left alone to perform this task and no parents should attempt to bring undue influence on any teacher in the coming weeks. Would it help if this assessment process was underpinned by law so that anyone who does try to influence a teacher in any away faces prosecution and a fine? It galls me to hear teenagers being described as good or average on national radio this week. The self worth of anyone should not be based solely on a single written exam. We now have a system of classroom assessment and while it may not be perfect it is well worth persevering with. Learn from this year and go again in 2021 is my view. Make the decision now and let the Minister be brave enough to bring about the greatest but most urgently needed reform of our education system.
Every student should have equal access to third level education. We all know that this is not the case in this country and that those from working class areas are very much in the minority. This is wrong on so many levels. There should be enough places for any young person who wishes to go to third level and for a proper system of grants in place in order to allow this to happen.
For those who say we don’t have enough places then just create them. Oversea student numbers are likely to be dramatically down this coming academic year and perhaps for many years to come.This will free up thousands of places. Also, this crisis has also shown us that online studying is achieveable in far greater numbers than ever before. The need to send our young people to Dublin or Galway by bus each Sunday to live in overpriced accommodation should also be a thing of the past.