Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 17: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will change the name of the leaving certificate to a new title which would indicate that it is an entrance examination into third level education in view of the commitment in the programme for Government 2007 to increase the percentage of the population participating in third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26075/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I do not propose to adopt a name change for the Leaving Certificate that would cast it in a narrow light with a sole focus on entrance to third level programmes.

The general aim of education is to contribute towards the development of all aspects of the individual and the Leaving Certificate comes at an important point in that process, namely, the end of second-level education.

The Leaving Certificate is designed as a measure of achievement, rather than a predictor of academic success or an indicator of vocational suitability, though clearly it is utilised widely in the context of admission to third level courses. Its primary purpose is to certify attainment at the end of a two-year course, rather than to provide a starting point for a third level course. The Leaving Certificate fulfils a valuable function for a much wider range of students than those who intend to take up third level courses immediately, even in times of maximum desired uptake levels.

In considering this matter we need to reflect on the broader purposes that the examination serves. The Leaving Certificate course is intended to prepare students for further education or training, for entry into employment and for their role as participative, enterprising citizens. To that end there are in fact three separate Leaving Certificate programmes, each of which lasts for two years and culminates in the award of a Leaving Certificate upon completion.

The majority of senior cycle students (68%) take the established Leaving Certificate. Typically, students take six or seven subjects in which they undergo written terminal examinations along with oral and aural examinations for Irish and modern languages. Practical tests and project work form part of the assessment for some subjects.

Some 26% of students take the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). This is best described as a Leaving Certificate with a strong vocational dimension. LCVP students must take at least five Leaving Certificate subjects along with two link modules — one on preparation for the world of work and the other on enterprise education. Assessment comprises two elements — a written examination and coursework.

The Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) is taken by around 6% of students. It is aimed at preparing students for adult and working life and it is a person-centred course involving a cross-curricular approach rather than a subject-based structure. Assessment for the LCA is carried out over the two years of the programme.

The Leaving Certificate has a wide variety of users. Foremost amongst these are third level institutions who, since 1992, use a common points system based on grades achieved in Leaving Certificate subjects. In addition, employers and training providers use the Leaving Certificate extensively as a selection tool. FÁS also accepts the LCA as a qualification for entry to standards-based apprenticeships.

On that basis I believe it would be unwise to change the title of the Leaving Certificate to reflect its use by third level institutions for selection purposes.