Poll: Do you think secondary school set you up well for your working life?
Some think the Leaving Cert needs an overhaul. Others say it develops good habits.
LEAVING CERT RESULTS and the first round of CAO offers generally receive a healthy dose of media coverage each year.
It is arguably the biggest event in the school calendar, however it also inevitable reopens the debate about whether existing education policy is fulfilling the needs of children and wider society.
Writing for Fora, Clare McGee - the senior executive for innovation and education policy at employer group Ibec – said the Leaving Cert in its current format is hurting Ireland’s economy in the long run.
She argued that a final, high-stakes exam kills any appetite for lifelong learning and doesn’t encourage creativity, interpersonal skills or critical thinking, which are becoming increasingly important in the workforce.
Some might disagree and argue that working towards the likes of the Leaving Cert teaches other useful skills, like comprehension, delivering tasks to deadlines and developing studying habits and discipline.
With that in mind, we’re asking Fora readers this week: Do you think secondary school set you up well for your working life?
