Sir, – Seán Flynn (Front page, August 26th) draws attention to proposals being prepared for the Minister for Education by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. The focus of the article – the “radical overhaul” of assessment procedures at Junior Cert level and the likely reaction of the ASTI to this – masks some disturbing aspects of these same proposals. If implemented, I believe these changes would “radically overhaul” what students learn as well as how this learning is assessed.
In place of stand-alone subjects, eight areas of learning are being proposed. I’m particularly concerned at the absence of history from the list and can only speculate that some diluted form of the subject may evolve in the area of social studies. Given that history becomes an optional subject in senior cycle, one might ask how our young people will learn about the history and heritage of our country and understand and appreciate Ireland’s place in Europe and the wider world, if not by studying history in junior cycle? At present, history is part of the core curriculum for Junior Cert examination in secondary schools. This is the only opportunity available to our 12- to 15-year-olds to study history in a systematic way and acquire the skills pertinent to the subject. If these proposals are implemented, it would represent a serious downgrading of history in our schools and a consequent diminution of the value given to an understanding of our past.
It is in the Minister’s hands to remove the current threat to school history and safeguard the cultural and historical legacy we pass on to the present generation of students.
Fortunately, there is still time. – Yours, etc,