TBH:An unheard voice in education

A PARENT WRITES . . .

I can’t believe what a missed opportunity Transition Year is. I see the point of the students taking a year off from state exam preparation to develop other skills, especially with the Leaving Cert the way it is. But my son is doing Transition Year at the moment and the programme is an idler’s charter, as far as I can see.

Free periods seem to form the backbone of the year. The activities they’re involved in are so ‘soft’ that I fail to see how they are adding to the kids’ skill sets at all. Vaguely arty activities and watered-down versions of Leaving Cert subjects seem to be the main pillars of the Transition Year programme. The work experience modules are bit of a joke too – most of the kids end up choosing placements according to where daddy or mummy works rather than following their career interests.

The careers guidance counsellors should be networking with employers to secure relevant placements for students according to their abilities and interests. Instead, children are left to organise their own placements and subsequently end

up in their parents’ offices or neighbour’s shops.

I understand that schools have considerable leeway in the way they run Transition Year, so I presume that some schools deliver better programmes than others. However, my son is attending a private school with excellent resources. If they cannot provide a programme with a bit of meat on it then what chance do other schools have?

My main gripe with my son’s Transition Year programme is that it doesn’t expose the students to anything of real value to their lives after school. As it stands, there are so many holes in the Leaving Cert programme – in information technology, time management, communication skills, independent learning, practical life skills.

None of these is addressed as part of their exam cycle and, given the spoonfeeding that goes on in fifth and sixth year, they are arguably being trained in how not to handle the real world of work.

Throughout Transition Year, there is a real opportunity to fill some of these gaps. I wish I could see my son working hard this year on computer projects, on practical business projects, on meaningful work experience. I wish I could see him working hard on anything.

Instead, he’s trying to fill free periods with wishy-washy activities, doing the odd bit of fundraising, sightseeing etc. If we’re not going to use Transition Year for the real preparation of children for life and work, then it is a pointless and counterproductive luxury that our system certainly cannot afford.

This column is designed to give a voice to those within the education system who wish to speak out anonymously. Contributions are welcome; email sflynn@irishtimes.com