‘’Education changes people. People change the world.’’ – Paulo Freire
One of the titles that I’ve done an extended essay on in my politics course, which I just finished only a month ago. Yet, the title is still as relevant and important today, as looking back education, both outside and inside the classroom has changed me. It’s strange that something that so many people are initially uninterested in coming into first year are now fully enveloped in such an issue, hence the new subjects of politics, PE as a Leaving Cert subject and computer science coming into the fray, showing the vast change the education system in Ireland has become. Another good move is the removal of religious baptism certificates as mandatory for religious patronage schools, which for primary level happen to account for 96% of all schools. While this does not apply to minority religious schools, this significantly reduces the discrimination on students and removes the forced baptism rule from many Catholic schools and parishes, which even my local priest discussed as being unhealthy last Sunday.
Yet, only a few months ago, I was extremely disappointed that the current government decided not to proceed to continue with history being a compulsory subject in the Junior Cycle. While initially it may seem as Spring cleaning of a new course, it should not be overlooked how damaging this will be to students in understanding the culture of Ireland and others’ around us, and how history dictates this culture. On a more patriotic note, it erases the long understanding of how our country was created, through blood and suffering, and I doubt that CSPE can do much to highlight that fact due to its perceived negative attitude of students as a ‘’doss’’ class.
Furthermore, the Junior Cycle system itself is a mess, with a larger focus on continuous assessment meant to be beneficial, yet proving to more divisive with problems of teacher bias and no common standard showing how flawed the system is. On the Leaving Cert cycle, the fact that HL Maths still gets 25 bonus points for doing one subject at a higher level is ridiculous. If that’s the case, why doesn’t HL Irish get the same treatment, if that encourages students to do the subject and possibly maintain an interest in the subject?
The department also made the unusual move too to move to a more technology based focus in certain schools, such as Lutrellstown Community College down the road from my house. While it was advertised as a pilot school in terms of using iPads and a massive emphasis on technology, it seems to have little effect on the education itself, with many of the teachers being unable to use the resources despite training, delaying student’s education. Due to the high cost of this, it means scarce resources of money are being wasted on fancy gimmicks rather than necessary spending such as Special Needs Education, which myself I’m indebted to personally.
Students know these problems, they recognise these problems as stakeholders in the education system yet are rarely listened to by the Department. It only seemed evident that the only timed they listened was when I was a voting age, and seeing a potential voter for Fine Gael, made sure to try and caress me into their party. Unfortunately, despite my slight like of them, I had chosen otherwise by then, even though I will acknowledge their response was quick and unexpected for the most part.
It seems to be a repeating topic with no end in sight. Although, at least with this much criticism and positive action the past six months, maybe finally there’s a new outlook on education. The recent plan to improve education to the top levels by 2023 I cautiously welcome, so long as funding gets handed out correctly rather than new hockey fields for a school that already has 6, while other schools can barely afford books for their students or even keeping their doors open. And to the future policy makers of education, remember the phrase, ‘’Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí’’ or in English, praise the youth and they will flourish. The motto of my old secondary school and a memory that needs to last for all policy makers in the education system.
-Ross Boyd, lead writer
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