Blame poor education for low skills shortage

A few weeks ago the media informed us that there were 4,700 jobs which required varying levels of technology skills, waiting to be filled.

Four or five weeks later, the media again informed us that there were 4,500 jobs still waiting to be filled and would require recruitment from overseas to fill them, as there were no suitable applicants here.

Skill is important and so is the education on how to develop that skill. I have always maintained that our education is failing because it is of poor quality at foundation level and you cannot build safely on dodgy foundations.

Some subjects being taught, such as History, Geography and Religion, etc, only require memorising. Others such as Maths and Science also require memorising and being able to apply what you have memorised to a logical and practical form, to assist you in analysing and solving problems.

The value of education at second and third levels is impaired when the children have not got the basic numeracy and literacy skills from the primary level.

Most sectors of the public service have top class people working at the coalface, only to have their efforts ruined by less than standard management and lack of responsibility.

A recent survey of those prosecuted between the ages of 18-30 for being drunk and disorderly, and for burglary and motoring offences, found 47% of them had poor literacy and numeracy skills and were unemployed.

Richard Prendergast

Rathcormac

Co Cork