The Leaving Cert lays foundation for third level

Google Scientist winner Sophie Healy-Thow was most unscientific in her “Leaving should be more than just a memory test” article (Irish Examiner, December 3).

If she were scientific she would start with the fact that the function of the Leaving Cert is not to measure the all-round ability of the examinees, but to measure their ability to cope with the massive memory loads of third-level studies.

That ability is the foundation of scientific (including critical) thinking at all life stages. Without that ability adults will flounder.