Any change is better than pressure-cooker points race

ANY changes to reduce the pressures on students to perform well in the Leaving Certificate can only be welcomed.

It is not just the teenagers who complain about the strain put on them to get enough points for their preferred college course. Teachers and principals regularly speak about how eager they are to focus on other aspects of particular subjects but cannot because they are under so much pressure to get the Leaving Certificate course finished.

The same even applies to preparations for the Junior Certificate, meaning the children behind the desks are given little opportunity to develop their own skills of critical thinking, independent learning and ability to apply theories they are taught in practical situations.