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Secondary school students express frustration with the points system used to decide places in third-level education.
With so few jobs available, demand for college places has risen, as has the Central Applications Office (CAO) points required for places in Irish Higher Education Institutions.
Secondary schools students from Abbey Vocational School in County Donegal, Carrigaline Community School in County Cork and Garbally College in Ballinasloe, County Galway are almost unanimous in their dislike of the points race,
It’s very unfair system.
Some of the students do not believe two weeks of exams can decide five years of study adequately. Having a bad day could see a student repeating their exams, or studying a university course they do not really want to do.
One student would prefer to see the introduction of continuous assessment. Another thinks the Universities Central Council on Admissions (UCCA) system for entry to colleges in the United Kingdom is superior to the CAO. It allows students the opportunity to write a paragraph about their interests, hobbies, ambitions and achievements.
Many students argue the points race does not measure talent or aptitude. Studying medicine needs seven good honours in the Leaving Certificate, but these results do not take into account an individual’s suitability to be a doctor.
An intelligent person mightn’t be the most understanding person in the world, and that’s what you need to be a doctor.
A student is critical of points being a requirement to do basic jobs rather than a talent for the role.
It’s academics that are getting into it and they’re no good.
One student believes the points race is necessary as there are so few jobs available,
It’s necessary to just put the main people out front into the colleges.
‘Give Us a Chance’ was an educational series examining the changes in schooling trends and in the possibilities of school leavers finding a job. The series demonstrated practical ways to make the most of the school system, either by making appropriate choices about exam subjects or by undertaking alternative courses. The series ran from 7 March 1988 to 23 May 1988. It was presented by educationalist and secondary school teacher Mary Kennedy.
This episode of ‘Give Us a Chance’ was broadcast on 9 May 1988. The reporter is David Crean.