Sir, - An Irishman's Diary (August 24th), got me thinking - why does the Department of Education and Science oblige me to teach the metric system while the Government departments, the National Roads Authority, Met ╔ireann, RT╔, the print media, in fact the country at large doesn't bother with it?
As I prepare my yearly maths, science and geography schemata for the forthcoming academic year to teach third, fourth, fifth and sixth class I smile when I think about the amount of time I will spend teaching and all the time the pupils will spend learning all about the metric system in vain.
We have a ridiculous situation where there is a dual measurement system. One which is taught in school, to be found in all the text books across the curriculum since 1972, and another measurement system which is used daily in the State but which is not taught in school or even mentioned! - Yours, etc.,
Colm ╙ hAnluain, Cloch Shiurdβin, Co Thiobraid