Professor Tom Collins:

It is a very interesting line of questions. I think back to 1967 when the primary certificate was abolished. I think 1967 was the last year it was conducted. That began a process for syllabus reinvention in primary level which has continued right up to the present day. Some of the assessment requirements are so tied in to such high stakes, that being access to third level. I would like to think that if that was removed, it would free up all the participants in second level education to engage themselves in a process of creative endeavour, which is largely precluded by the rigours of the exams at the moment. While it may be true that the competitive element only applies in some sectors of higher education, we should not underestimate the importance of the formation of ambition, which begins when a child is very young. We now know that a disadvantaged child is unlikely to aspire to the competitive professions and will have already set their targets within all the messages they receive about being low achievers. I do not fully accept the contention that because most programmes are not highly competitive the points system is not overwhelming second level.