Certain routines accompany the departure certificate each year. The good weather spell is a source of ridicule for students, but adored by everyone else, is the time to start examinations. The national press’s examination of every exam and then, later, its praise of the euphoric students who scored eight H1s.
As trustworthy as any of these traditions is the annual debate over whether the leave certificate and the CAO system are suitable in assessing students’ abilities to move into higher education.
The leave certificate has been modified over the last few years, however the critique of it is still the same: passing seven tests to determine whether you can attend university and what you’re allowed to do in school puts a lot of stress on students. Additionally, students who are wealthy attend private schools enjoy an unfair advantage, while the emphasis placed on learning by rote is not a good thing.
They are all valid critiques. The quality of student welfare and the ability of secondary school education system to prepare students for the world beyond school’s gates are crucial indicators of how efficient it is.
The certificate of leaving does, however, establish a level playing field for every student , an argument that is convincing and is often ignored.
This year 58,000 students took the tests scored an unprecedented number of points. The higher the number of points they earn as they earn them, the more options they will have to fill the CAO forms. The possibility of points increasing excessively for most students is not a problem by the fact that the final certificate is graded using an arc curve. Even if the demand for specific courses is high, the points will typically indicate that a tiny proportion of students get the perfect or even near-perfect scores.
The awarding of points for CAO is controlled by a strictly mathematical system. There is no room to be biased: postcodes or politics are not considered in the equation. Maintaining this level of neutrality highly admirable and an indication of a fair system.
There is no room for bias. Postcodes and politics are not a factor in it.
The ugliness of the fairness countered by access options and alternative pathways to entry. There is a Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) scheme provides extra points to students suffering from disabilities that impact their education. Similar to that to it is the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) provides extra points for students who successfully complete their leaving certificate from a socioeconomically depressed background.
These strategies help make this CAO program more compassionate and recognize that treating every student equally isn’t necessarily identical to treating each student equally.
The number of tests that students must sit each June is a source of dispute. In other systems of education students are able to tailor their studies according to what they are interested in, which means they’re not required to take challenging exams on subjects they don’t like. For a large portion of students, this choice at an early age can be advantageous, and many are able to excel through their next studies without regrets.
For others However, the situation isn’t so clear. Most 15 or 16-year-olds do not know which career path they’d like to pursue. The many subjects covered in the leaving certificate allows them to have a wide range of choices for at most two years.
A majority of 15 and 16-year-olds do not know what profession they’d like to pursue.
Although it can be frustrating and challenging at first but a degree in many subjects can be beneficial as time goes by for example, maths will assist you calculate your taxes while economics can help you learn about the current recession, and the list goes on. The certificate of graduation ensures that students leave school with the necessary skills required for their careers however, they also have a broad understanding and an extensive secondary education. For help with leaving cert maths grinds get in touch with leaving-cert-grinds.com
The emphasis placed on rote learning is an issue. However, recent changes for the Junior Certificate have decreased the importance of rote learning and the certificate for leaving is likely to be the same. It’s also a sad fact that the majority of college classes will have students rote learning at some point or other and, while it might not be as prominent as it does in the syllabus for leaving certificates however, it’s certainly a beneficial technique to be mastered early.
Continuous assessments are the way to go many people believe will solve the leave certificate’s problems. Certain, it has found favor in countries such as in the UK and Germany and would likely ease some of the anxiety of traditional exams at the end of the year. Although the leave certificate does not suit everyone’s needs Continuous assessment has its drawbacks.
The scheduling of important tests for a lengthy period of time keeps the stress on students. Many students will sprinkle their year-long preparations to receive their leave certificate with frequent breaks, which can be difficult to justify when you’re immersed in a continuous cycle of exams. It is also normal for students to be active in extracurricular activities to a point at which they are required to concentrate solely on their studies.
If continuous assessment were established it would reduce the necessity to take this self-imposed pause. The students may be more inclined to put their activities off for the duration of the year to stay up with the more rigorously scheduled assignments submissions as well as regular exams.
The most uncontroversial conclusion of this old-fashioned argument is that there’s no ideal system. The leave certificate is certainly fair and is becoming more fair. The new grading standards means that less students will get the same amount of points, thus reducing the need for random selection during the admissions process. Results are released within a reasonable time before the beginning of the school year to determine appeals of grades and students who have suffered an emotional loss will be able to take the test at a later time, without the need to repeat the entire year.
In a nation where uneven playing surfaces are the commonplace, the certificate of leaving provides a pleasant, smooth surface. It’s important to keep it.
