Aodhnait Ni Fhathaigh from Cork achieved nine A1s in her Leaving Certificate examination, a perfect score and a truly remarkable result. In his article in The Irish Times on September 20th, Education Correspondent Emmet Oliver highlights Aodhnait's criticism of the Department of Education and Science for not acknowledging in a concrete way her exceptional achievement.

It is not unreasonable for her to expect some sort of official acknowledgement. The Department does award seven Easter Week Commemoration Scholarships annually, one for each of the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation. The awards are made to the students who perform best in a nominated group of subjects in higher-level papers in the Leaving Certificate examination.

Beyond this recognition, I don't know what the Department's attitude and approach is towards a single overall award for such a remarkable result as Ms Ni Fhathaigh's, but I would like to think the reasoning might be influenced by two fundamental issues.

The first question which arises is in relation to attributing the label "best ever", as the young student claims her result to be. Of course, nine A1s is an extraordinary result, but the question the Department may have asked is whether attributing the "best ever" label simply on the basis of a score achieved may be too narrow? Are there other students who may rightly claim, for reasons other than actual "perfect" scores, that they achieved the "best result ever" in the Leaving or Junior Certificate examinations?

To illustrate my point, consider just two cases among many I have come across in my experience. There's the mother of five children, a member of the Travelling community, who took on the challenge of second-chance education, and within two years had passed five subjects in her Junior Certificate and five subjects in her Leaving Certificate. Could she, along with the other high-achieving mothers and young women and men of her group, not contend to have obtained the "best ever" result?

What about another student, a beautiful young person for whom the Junior Certificate posed an enormous challenge in order to achieve a pass grade? To his immense joy he reached that goal this year. In his mind, and in his parents' minds, this is the "best ever" result. The problem with assigning the "best ever" label is that it is a relative one. There are all sorts of criteria and contexts against which, and within which, the judgment must be made.

The second issue that arises is in relation to how we define achievement. In his article Emmet Oliver refers to the fact that "the Government did nothing" to recognise Ms Ni Fhathaigh's achievement. Are there also many other students who display, in various ways, remarkable levels of achievement deserving of acknowledgement?

I knew a student who, in terms of the traditional and narrow understanding of the concept of intelligence, functioned within the "very superior" range. Despite a lot of pressure to achieve the potential many people assumed she should achieve, she had the strength to withstand that pressure. She set her own agendas and determined her own potential. Her achievement is that she has developed into a free-spirited, humanitarian adult with possibly the most open and non-judgmental mind I have ever come across.

Another student I know has a remarkable talent and flair for English. Along with an academic brilliance in this subject area he has also developed an attitude towards his ability that is completely devoid of any arrogance. Which is the greater achievement? The one that is demonstrated by the perfect examination score or the one that has left him so open to further learning and development of his great talent?

Consider the case of another student I have come across. As a young girl she knew she was clever and capable, but a remark on a school report shattered her belief in herself and demolished her self-esteem. She opted out of the formal education system. She eventually returned to second-chance education where she began to believe in and trust her own judgments again. She did her Junior Certificate in one year and achieved exceptional results. Her real achievement was in regaining her self-confidence and having the courage to believe in herself again.

Too narrow a focus

To recognise and acknowledge achievement in the context of examination results only is too narrow.

Ms Ni Fhathaigh has achieved at a remarkable level, but if we really think about it she is only one of many high achievers within our schools. If the Department of Education begins to single out individuals for special recognition on the basis of examination results only, many questions come to my mind in relation to possible implications for our education system:

Will we have schools whose walls are adorned with the photos and results of the A students only?

Will we have schools which prioritise the needs of the students capable of achieving the "perfect" Leaving Certificate?

Will we have many dedicated and committed teachers who never experience an affirmation of their work?

Will we have parents who judge and choose schools for their children on the basis of very limited criteria?

Will we have students who will stunt their own capacity to develop free and open minds and the kinds of attitudes and values so needed within society?

Will we have students who never recognise that they too are achievers and deny themselves the joy that that achievement brings?

Will we have students who never learn to believe in themselves and trust in their own abilities?

Our schools are full of unique individuals and high achievers. Some of them are easily identified through the most obvious and tangible outcome of education, exceptional examination scores. Others are less easily identified and may remain hidden within the very subtle complexities of the educational process.

The education system is a powerful force in the lives of young people. The type of process it espouses and promotes has the power to make or break them. If the Department of Education is to recognise and reward high achievement it must do so sensitively and in a manner that is both comprehensive and all embracing.

Aileen Walsh is the principal of St Canice's special school in Limerick and an educational researcher.