Sir, - It is the sad reality of our current second-level education system that it focuses mainly on academic subjects that many students will never come across again once they walk out the school gates for the last time. Here's a radical idea: Why not include in our school curriculum topics that students may find useful in their future lives? Why not teach them how to drive properly, how to apply First Aid in an emergency, how to prevent unwanted pregnancies or STDs, how to choose the right career path, how to stay healthy, wealthy and wise - and indeed, in some cases, how to read properly? - Yours, etc.,
Emmet Healy, Grace Park Road, Dublin 7.