When I was a lad we also did the Leaving Cert. Yes, there were higher and lower levels. We had A, B, C, D, E and F. Nice and simple. In the state sponsored torture that is the leaving cert, there were always one or two subjects where you thought that, given a fair wind you might scrape a pass on a higher level, even if you knew you would get the honour on the lower paper. I did it myself.
Chemistry. Eight days between last exam and that. I crammed and got an honour on an honours paper. By cramming I mean starting on page one of the chemistry text book and whatever was the equivalent to Chemistry for Dummies was back in the day.
Hard work paid off. That, or I broke every rule of good study practice. To be fair, most students who sit the leaving cert follow a similar course and end up in college with an entirely unrealistic notion of what study is.
The Department of Education will this week try to make the experience of going through secondary school a more rounded experience. Part of the thinking is to deliver free thinking young people into third level colleges. This brave new generation will be ready for independent study and all it entails.
One of the ways they want to do this is by allowing points for people who get between 30-39% on a higher paper. They are calling it a safety net. It will encourage students to ‘stretch’ themselves.
The teachers seem to like it. Here’s what Moira Leydon of the ASTI told Lunchtime.
Why am I not impressed? Anything under 40% is a fail in most third level institutes. It was called NS in my day. Not Satisfactory. There you go. A real, live value judgement. There are standards you need to meet.
You have to reach a minimum standards. It’s called hard work.
I just don’t buy this. The idea that because you sat the higher paper, you need to be rewarded for doing not very well? Hello? If that isn’t giving people false expectations, what is?
You knew you were signing up for a harder test when you decided to sign up. There has to be a minimum standard. Dropping that standard by 10%? Now that is crazy.
