Ms Sorcha Ní Chonghaile:

I will address a number of issues. First is the issue of knowledge-based learning. To learn, one requires the skills to absorb the knowledge and use it correctly. We cannot say that we need to have loads of knowledge but then have zero ability to problem-solve. What is the point of the knowledge without the skills to apply it?

Broadband is the second issue. I appreciate that the committee has acknowledged the difficulties, even in primary schools. A lot more secondary schools are now rolling out the use of iPads in the junior cycle and we would prefer if they were also available for the leaving certificate cycle. The issue is if schools do not have access to broadband, what use is the iPad or the use of a laptop or computer room?

The next issue is philosophy. As a subject, philosophy would be ideal because it would encourage ethical reflection and greater diversity among students. There are elements of it covered within the exam religion course but the level of take-up is severely low. I know many students who sat it but it is not a widely rolled out subject. Not many schools offer it. Offering a subject entirely based on philosophy and ethical reflection would be ideal.

Bonus points are a great incentive for students. There are students who take up higher maths just to pass it to get the extra points. It is helpful. It is a nice incentive because the course is extremely difficult and arduous. It might be an option to introduce it to other subjects that have a very high workload.

Deputy Jan O'Sullivan referred to junior certificate English students who will be entering the rote-based leaving certificate English course. They will not be prepared for it because they have not come from a rote-learning background. That needs to be addressed urgently because they will have to sit the leaving certificate in 2019 or 2020. They will really struggle through it. They will be coming into fifth year next year with all of these books in front of them and they will be given the information, told to learn it and regurgitate it in an exam. They will have to face that.

Deputy Catherine Martin mentioned that there are more exemptions from studying Irish than students taking the course. It also needs to be understood that within a classroom of perhaps 30 students who are studying the Irish language curriculum, there are students who are fluent and students with only very basic Irish. That needs to be addressed. It would be ideal if the committee would take a further look at the matter.

A question was asked about what information we are given regarding leaving certificate applied in schools. It varies from school to school. There is no one answer to that question. Some schools will offer the leaving certificate applied course and their guidance counsellor will be brilliant at giving that information. Some schools will offer the course but their guidance counsellors will not give us much information. There are also schools that do not offer the leaving certificate applied course. However, the guidance counsellor, principal, deputy principal or teachers could be telling students to go and sit it elsewhere. There is evidence of that happening in Dublin. There are students who are moving school to sit the leaving certificate applied course. There are also schools that do not offer it and do not tell their students it is an option elsewhere because they do not want to lose students. The other thing that was mentioned was that it does not make the school look attractive. No student chooses to go to a particular school. It is up to parents to choose the school and if the school had a wider range of areas to study, including the leaving certificate applied, leaving certificate vocational programme, and also the established leaving certificate, it would be a lot more welcoming to students and parents. We need to give the information to students. There is an issue with guidance counselling and the fact there is no direct information being offered.

Somebody mentioned physical education. Some schools do not have gym halls. In some of our member schools, students are walking ten or 15 minutes to get to another school for physical education. If the committee is looking at offering it as a subject in a revised leaving certificate setting, every school will have to have the facilities. Students will want to sit the exam but they cannot if there is no way for them to do so.

All leaving certificate change requires that subjects to be offered to students. There is no point in saying we should offer 101 subjects but not make them available to students.