Changes ‘would help students reach potential’

CHANGES should be made to the Leaving Certificate to allow more students, who are not interested in the points race, to reach their potential, teachers and business leaders said last night.

As more than 52,000 people — mostly teenagers — begin the established Leaving Certificate this morning, a further 3,282 are undertaking the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA).

It was set up a decade ago to cater for students who might not otherwise stay on to finish school or who are more interested in going straight to work than seeking college places.