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Points system 'harming education', says Minister
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 23/09/2011.
Tags: Education And PoliticsThe points system administered by the Central Applications Office (CAO) for determining university admissions is harmful to the country's education system.
This is according to the Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn, who made the claim at a conference held this week to discuss reforming the process of transitioning from the second to third level, the Irish Times reports.
He suggested the current procedure "may be undermining those very qualities we value in our students in higher education - their ability to think for themselves, to create and innovate, to initiate and to question".
This is because a large percentage of students are opting for what are seen as softer Leaving Certificate subjects, due to the perception they are an "easier" route to the CAO points they will need to enter the third level.
The conference considered a number of questions as part of its discussions into reforms of the system, such as whether the state is excessively rewarding pupils for choosing less relevant courses.
Prior to the event, RTE reported the Irish Universities Association as stating changes to the system are essential, though it cautioned there will be no perfect alternative.
Written by Donal Walsh
leapstep
(28-09-2011 19:00)
I'm glad I see there is some discussion regarding the admission to third level based on the points on Leaving Cert.I come from a different education system altogether, but my children are raised in this system and I really think this way of admitting students based on points gained on subjects that would have very little (most of the time only half or less of the subjects chosen for LC)to do with the field chosen for a third level education is a way of encouraging mediocrity. I would strongly agree with the examination on 2-3 subjects for the chosen field on entry to third level, and only 10-20% of the LC should count for it.
CubishMom
(23-09-2011 10:23)
Although I see the minister's point in making this statement, having been educated in the U.S., I can tell you that the point system seems to give kids here some reason to find some direction before graduation. In America, the majority of kids graduate high school having no earthly idea what they want to do with their lives and end up spending the first two years of college trying to figure it out. At least having a points entry system make kids here focus while in secondary school and make some decisions....I suppose there's good and bad to both sides.
K. Hoff
(23-09-2011 14:06)
A point system forces students to regurgitate information on demand, rewarding memorization rather than effective utilization of learned skills, innovation and creativity. A continous assessment approach provides for much more effective learning and utilization of those acquired skills. Perhaps it's time to eliminate the traumatic "stress" of the point driven leaving cert "Trial by Ordeal" once and for all. After hearing former participants recall the horrors of going through the leaving cert process, there appears to be little priority put on changing it. It's like they want each successive student generation to share in the pain.
JohnMc
(23-09-2011 10:59)
I listened to the conference and college Professors were saying that people chose and came into their courses only to find that they hadn't had an idea about the course! There was, what I think is a great idea, a suggestion to give kids a look at the Exams sheet from the end of 1st year of the course they want to do. This would let the student know what sort of things they were going to learn.