Higher Education Minister’s “belated enlightenment” a positive, but leaving cert abolition urgently needed
People Before Profit TD and spokesperson on Education Richard Boyd Barrett has said that a fundamental overhaul of the state examinations is urgently needed.
He said while the “belated enlightenment” of the Higher Education Minister Simon Harris about moving beyond the leaving cert is a positive step, it is essential that the Government moves beyond rhetoric, replaces the Leaving Cert and abolishes the points race and shifts to open access to university and higher education.
He said: “It is abundantly clear that the Leaving Cert system of access to college is based on an unfair and antiquated model which is not fit for purpose. We have to move to a system of open access where those who wish to go to college, higher education or apprenticeships can access the course they want.
“It is positive to hear Minister Harris question the validity of the Leaving Cert model, however, I would question then why his government voted against the People Before Profit motion on access to further and higher education in the last Dáil term, which called for the abolition of the Leaving Cert.
“People Before Profit were the first to call for the abolition of the Leaving Cert. Now the Government are beginning to admit there is a serious problem with the Leaving Cert they need to move beyond rhetoric to actual delivery of a fair system of access to further and higher education.”