The points system - Realistic reform

It seems likely that the way places are secured in third-level colleges will change.

Trinity has announced that it will apply new criteria within years.

Current arrangements are pretty black-and-white and may not be the kind of assessment everyone would like. Already our exam system is under fire and grade inflation has damaged the credibility of our school system.

The points system may be flawed and colder than we might like but the reality is that it is an accurate reflection of the world students can expect if they graduate.

Any new arrangement would do our young people a disservice if it pretended that they need not be competitive to secure a career. Reform by all means but realism must prevail.