Sir, - Your Education Correspondent, in an article (September 24th) on the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), may have conveyed an impression that the programme is targeted at students who had difficulty, in ability terms, with the established Leaving Certificate. I would like to clarify, for students and parents, that the LCVP is a Leaving Certificate with an added vocational dimension, focusing on the development of skills and qualities that will prove relevant to the lives of students on leaving school for further education, the world of work, or the business of making a living.
These aspects of education are clearly relevant to the full range of abilities and aptitudes. It has been the experience of the pilot phase of the programme that students of all levels of ability take the programme.
On a general point, this issue highlights the fact that there are now a number of options available to students at senior cycle in schools. They include the transition year, the established Leaving Certificate, the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP), and the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA). These options encourage students to continue in full time education.
Yours, etc.,
Communications Unit,
Department of Education,
Marlborough Street, Dublin 1.