College boss calls for change to points system

A COLLEGE boss has called for third level institutions to change the entry points system which is causing huge stress to students.

Professor Tom Collins, interim president of the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), is one of the country’s top education experts and chairs the National Council for Curriclum and Assessment (NCCA), which advises the Government on schools policy, including exams.

He said that colleges may have themselves to blame for their complaints about the abilities of many students in recent years who are unable to meet the demands of third-level education. Many academics have raised concerns about the aptitude of some students in maths and science, for example, with some colleges having to teach basics to new entrants, and certain courses recording very high dropout rates.