Letters to the Editor: Hybrid Leaving Cert penalises the high achiever

There is a fear about grade inflation as the hybrid form of the Leaving Cert enters its third year running. Picture: Larry Cummins 

I am writing to express my concerns with the suggestion that this year, for the third year running, teachers would grade their own students work. As a teacher, I graded my own students for the past two years under duress.

Last year, there was severe grade inflation, despite the standardisation carried out by the minister’s department. This means that many teachers awarded unrealistic grades. Perhaps they felt under pressure to do so and that in itself should be a source of concern to any rational individual. One school in my area had an uncharacteristically high number of students receiving over 600 points — possibly the school’s best result in years. Certain university courses in law, medicine etc, were heavily oversubscribed and had to undergo a lottery system.

My chief concern is that the hybrid/accredited grades model puts hard-working, high-achieving students at a disadvantage. The average student tends to get a better-accredited grade than an exam grade. That is why so many students want a hybrid system — it’s easier to get a good mark from your teacher than from a rigorously objective State examiner.

In a hybrid system, students get accredited grades and have the option to sit the Leaving Cert exams. In 2021, their final result was comprised of the highest grades from both models. Where students sat exams as well as receiving accredited grades, the accredited grade was higher than the exam result in almost 70% of cases.

Parents need to know that, for high achievers — students who’ve worked hard, have ambition, and are aiming for courses with high points — a hybrid Leaving Cert means they are less likely to get the course they want.

A hybrid model is designed to particularly benefit the average student, to the detriment of high achievers. When everyone is getting high points, the pool of candidates eligible for high-point courses is drastically enlarged. Last year, NUI Galway reported that six times as many students achieved 600 points than in the previous two years.

All students should be treated fairly, including high achievers. The traditional Leaving Certificate exam system, modified this year if necessary, is the only one that can guarantee objective equality for all.

Esther Burke

Castlebar

Co Mayo

No need to stop use of Covid certs

I’m delighted we are in a position to move on and open up the country, but I think we need to keep using Covid certs for entry to all events.

They were issued for a reason and we should use them. They are not inconvenient for anybody.

I certainly will not go to a pub or restaurant when no cert is needed.

Why do we need to use it for international travel?

Marie O’Brien

Ballinlough

Cork

Resourcefulness of older people

I am 78 years old and, while I cocooned alone during the various lockdowns, I had plenty of resources to keep me occupied both mentally and physically. Most people my age will have grown up without television, never mind the internet.

I spent my time reading — with my Kindle and Bookbub I was able to buy books online — gardening, and bird and animal watching from my sunroom. I had my iPad to keep me up to date with news and current affairs.

I even had a television had desperation set in.

Nothing I have read has referred to the natural resourcefulness of people my age. I’m sure we’re not all miserable.

One thing that struck me about your special report on ageing in the pandemic (January 22) was mention of the Irish Senior Citizen’s Parliament, of which I have never heard. What is this and who are these people making recommendations on our behalf? Is it like the “People’s Parliament”, random people chosen by a polling company?

Nuala Raftery

Swords

Dublin

Pupils wear protective face masks during the coronavirus lockdown.

End mask wearing for schoolchildren

The mask mandate in England has ended, including all schools. Nphet must now be required to produce evidence that its continued mandating in Irish schools is warranted. Are English children physiologically different from Irish kids? Is there a different pandemic in Ireland?

If it’s now OK to snog someone in a nightclub here, then kids don’t need to be forced to wear a mask in school, and neither should they be required for retail or public transport.

State overreach and the dystopian nonsense that schoolchildren are subjected to must end now.

Peter Keating

Newtownshandrum

Co Cork

Left dumbstruck as restrictions lifted

I am dumbstruck. Only last month we were advised to all but cancel Christmas, close pubs early, stay at home. Now, although cases exceed 2021 highs, we are told all restrictions are lifted.

Is there really a scientific basis for such wild shifts in policy?

Niall Ryan

Ardnacrusha

Clare

Trepidation over easing of measures

If another variant comes along, I can see another lockdown or restrictions. The WHO seems to think this is far from over.

I feel a degree of trepidation about the newly announced removal of restrictions.

Pat O’Connor

Via email

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New houses being constructed. Picture: Gareth Fuller/PA Wire

Housing minister out of touch

My family have been in Co Louth for hundreds of years but, due to the cruel local restrictions, I am unable to build a modest cottage. If the idea was to keep it local for families etc, that pony bolted a long time ago.

The county is strewn with mansions, not at all in keeping with the local historic dwelling.

Yet the Government, and indeed any opposition, are not willing to talk about this crooked rule that is stopping folk from building a home in their community. I guess that is too difficult for them to understand.

I’ve lobbied them all, but they never reply.

The criteria are so draconian it’s ridiculous. If you are not a landowner or business, you pretty much are thrown on the scrapheap when trying to live in the community of your heritage, family, and friends. That is what the housing minister thinks of your right to self-determination.

He is out of touch and not up to date with today’s Ireland.

Garry Dullaghan

Culleens

Co Sligo

Warning to Russia is just ridiculous

The US, UK, EU, and Nato warning Russia “not to make them angry” because of Ukraine is just so ridiculous in its simple sabre-rattling when there is no need to go down their road of imagined “invasion” by Russia.

The aforementioned could not even defeat the rag-tag Taliban in Afghanistan during 20 years of trying.

Robert Sullivan

Bantry

Co Cork

Demonisation of all men must stop

There’s been a plethora of letters and articles condemning the brutal murder of Ashling Murphy and rightly so.

John Glennon (January 22) ponders “how some men can have such a dysfunctional relationship with women that they could perpetrate such an act”. Some people are dysfunctional in their relationships with others, period.

The indisputable fact is that 90% of homicides globally are committed by men, but 80% of victims are also male. Let’s stop the demonisation of all men as potential abusers.

I work with children of both genders and have zero intention of shaming some of my class by virtue of their biology.

Aileen Hooper

Stoneybatter

Dublin

Battle to keep Irish language alive

An acquaintance recently told me that his daughter is studying Chinese at school in preference to Irish, as it is likely to be of “more use to her”. Knowing my reputation as an Irish speaker, he quickly added that he thought Irish was “a lovely language” and it was a pity to see it dying out. This didn’t offer me much consolation but I said nothing, recalling the Irish proverb: ‘Is binn béal ina thost’ (a closed mouth catches no flies).

Unfortunately, my acquaintance’s attitude is probably shared by a significant proportion of the public.

This shows the magnitude of the challenge for those of us who wish to see Irish more widely used. It also underlines the vital role of the Gaelscoileanna. Outside the Gaeltacht, the Gaelscoileanna, with a presence in the 32 counties, are the most visible expression to the public that the language, unique to Ireland, still has a living presence.

John Glennon

Hollywood

Co Wicklow