Schools surveys are ‘worthless’
I believe it is very important that the public be made aware of the deeply flawed foundations of these analyses and conclusions.
The data, on which the ad-hoc surveys are based, relate only to the university sector and ignore totally the 14 institutes of technology and other third-level colleges.
The institutes alone account for 40% of the third-level student population and therefore constitute a major omission by any standards.
The students of DIT, for example, are ignored, although their alma mater is the largest third-level college in the state. The partial information presented is extremely misleading both in terms of geographical and individual school participation.
For example, poor participation rates of 25% and 20% are published for counties Waterford and Wexford, respectively. These rates are meaningless as they disregard the students of the highly regarded Waterford Institute of Technology, which is the pre-eminent college in this area.
Another example is the patently ridiculous figure of 15% quoted for Co Donegal. The survey ignores cross-border colleges and the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, the sole third-level college in that area.
The accuracy of the ad-hoc surveys can be gauged by comparison with Dr Patrick Clancy's definitive 1998 National Survey of Access to Higher Education. For example, he estimated Co Sligo participation rates as high at 48% male and 63% female. The partial information 'analysed' by the ad-hoc survey contends that Sligo participation rates are low at a grossly underestimated 25%.
The recent Irish Farmer's Journal 'survey' even excludes the students of third-level agricultural colleges. The irony of this exclusion seems lost on the authors. The competency of the ad-hoc survey would be laughable were it not for the serious consequences for 'ranked' second-level schools. I and my colleagues have been approached by many distressed and angry teachers and students whose schools have been 'ranked' based on partial and misleading information. Third-level progression is much higher in these schools than that concluded by the ad-hoc survey. For example, a very well known Mid-Cork school with a long tradition of third-level participation is ranked with a percentage of high twenties progression the real figure for that school for third-level progression in September, 2002, is close to 90%.
The conclusions of the ad-hoc surveys are worthless and have done a great disservice to students, parents and teachers. I strongly suggest to parents and teachers that these ad-hoc surveys be filed away in the appropriate receptacle the nearest waste bin.
Sean F O'Leary,
Abbeyview,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
