The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme, which involves enterprise education and work experience, has been highly praised in an evaluation report by Department of Education inspectors.
The LCVP, which was introduced in 1989 as a more technically oriented Leaving Cert, was expanded four years ago to include three "link modules" - enterprise education, preparation for work and work experience - which are partly examined by projects and assignments. It is now taken by over 22,000 students (in more than 400 schools) out of around 65,000 Leaving Cert students.
The Department evaluation of 95 schools concludes that most of them have "responded admirably" to a programme which is "innovative in the context of the established Leaving Certificate. The inspectors were impressed by the general level of commitment and enthusiasm for the programme."
The principals consulted thought that 95 per cent of LCVP students were either satisfied or very satisfied with the programme. Two-thirds of principals had seen several "unexpected positive outcomes" from its introduction.
These included the stimulation of teachers' professional development; encouragement for them to engage in curriculum development; improved teacher co-operation; improved student interest and motivation; a spirit of enterprise in the schools; and developing awareness of the value of links between education and industry.
The inspectors also found the introduction of "link modules" had had a "significant impact on teaching methodologies", with project-based learning and collaborative teaching a regular feature in many schools.
"The enhancement of student skills in the areas of information technology and enterprise education was a very important outcome of the programme. Students were perceived to have developed self-confidence, initiative and resourcefulness from having engaged in enterprise activities."
The report criticised a shortage of links between vocational subjects and the "link modules", and a lack of team teaching. It was particularly critical of a "significant number" of schools' failure to meet the LCVP's requirement that a modern European language be taught.
The Conference of Heads of Irish Universities is currently considering the anomaly which does not allow the LCVP's "link module" assessments to be counted towards points for university entry, although they are taken into account by institutes of technology.
ASTI deputy secretary Mr John White said the LCVP evaluation had been a happy experience for the schools involved, in contrast to the negative evaluations of schools by the British Office of Standards in Education.