Sir, – I agree with your correspondent that there is something “bogus” about bonus points for those that do Leaving Cert subjects through Irish (To Be Honest, Education Today, February 7th).
However, what is bogus is not that these points are granted. It is why they are granted.
Your correspondent acknowledges that completing an exam such as history in Irish is challenging. It is.
My children still have to use textbooks in English for many subjects. And much auxiliary information — library books, newspaper articles, and so on – is also only available in English.
Rather than systematically addressing the lack of schoolbooks in Irish, the Department of Education avoids its responsibility towards Irish-language education by offering these bonus points. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – In school I learnt about oidhreachtúil aonfhachtóireach and single-factor inheritance, about the interauricular septum and an fochra idirchluaisíneach, and about liontán ionphlasmach and endoplasmic reticulum.
Anybody who thinks bonus points for sitting Leaving Cert subjects as Gaeilge are “bogus”, might try studying Bitheolaíocht with a textbook as Béarla. – Is mise,