Why are we still inflicting the cruel, outdated Leaving Cert on students?

On Friday, over 60,000 students will receive their Leaving Certificate results. The exam itself and results time are periods of intense stress and anxiety for students and their families, and the memory of that never quite leaves your nervous system.

As we face into these final few days before the results are published, now appears as good a time as any to stop, reflect and ask the question; why are we still doing this? Why does Irish society still subject our teenagers to this cruel, all or nothing, high stakes, and ultimately out-of-date terminal set of exams; a set of exams that we recognise as no longer fit for purpose?

It is worth remembering that the class of 2023 saw much of their second level schooling interrupted and heavily impacted by Covid-19, and due to Covid restrictions, didn’t sit the Junior Certificate examinations.

Despite this difficult backdrop, they embraced the innovative assessment criteria associated with the new Junior Cycle curriculum, and learnt to adapt to many new challenges, including mastering digital technologies and classroom based assessments (CBAs). They also took on the new responsibilities that they were given for their other areas of learning. Throughout, they demonstrated flexibility, resilience, and critical thinking during this period of unprecedented change.

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However, as soon as they enter senior cycle education, much of this progress comes to an abrupt halt. The existing senior cycle curriculum dictates that we revert back to the prescribed rote learning methods of old, prioritising teaching to the exam and other restrictive teaching methodologies.

Those who have sat the Leaving Certificate remember that period of their life in distressingly vivid detail. Adults are frequently heard to say how “it was brutal but fair”; “it was tough but we survived”; or “it didn’t do me any harm”.

Is this the best we can do for students? This lazy and unsophisticated discourse is profoundly dated and at odds with a society that wants to position itself as a knowledge economy and a place of ideas and entrepreneurism.

That’s not the only injustice. Our current system is rigged to favour those that can afford grinds and private tutoring, incorporating exam techniques disguised as study skills. In effect, this ‘grind school’ culture is a means of gaming the system and is a sad indictment of our senior cycle education.

Ireland is not the only country grappling with these issues in its education system. In recent years, Australia and Scotland have reached a similar crossroads. However, whilst we are quick to acknowledge the failings of our system, Scotland and Australia have moved past merely talking about the problems and are now implementing the necessary reforms.

In Scotland, the government has initiated a national discussion on its education system and has committed to reform that puts the learner at the centre. This includes a review of its qualifications and assessment processes, after a report recommended that school students should not sit exams before fifth year, and argued that a wider range of assessment measures should be used.

Meanwhile Australia has committed to educational reform to promote inclusion and equity. Its educational bodies are implementing strategies to improve outcomes, pathways for further studies, and formative assessment, among other reforms to make the learning experience more responsive to student needs. As other countries take the difficult decisions and make the necessary investments, the Irish education system is in danger of becoming less competitive on the international stage. The impact of this will be significant and wide-ranging.

In the current Programme for Government (PFG), there is a commitment to holding a Citizens’ Assembly to discuss the future of our education system. This assembly represents an important moment in history for Irish education, and post-primary in particular. However, we would like to see this national conversation start now and be treated as an urgent priority within Government.

As part of this process, it is imperative that we hear the voices of school leaders who have long been engaged in the debate surrounding the future of Irish education. Amongst the questions that must be considered include: what skills do our students need and how can we deliver them? How can we assess these skills? How can we promote inclusion? What educational experience do we want our children to have? How can we increase pathways for our students to their chosen career?

In addition, we need to look at the way we assign places to students in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Ultimately, we hope that these discussions will lead to a consensus on our national vision for Irish education into the future.

As a society, we must commit to meaningful change. Superficial tinkering is not enough. We need real change that puts our young people front and centre. To enable this, we must champion a high performance and inclusive education system that respects individual talents, aptitudes, and interests.

On Friday, the media will once again be dominated by the same headlines and commentary relating to students’ stress and anxiety, and condemnation of the cruel and unequal race for CAO points. Let’s make 2023 the year we stopped just talking about it and finally took action that puts our young people first.

Paul Crone is a former school principal and now director of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD)