Beyond the points race

Sir, – The current debate in these pages about the efficacy and fairness of the Leaving Certificate as the sole means of entry to college fails to take into account a rather large elephant in the classroom – the booming grinds industry. The Leaving Cert itself may be heedless of a pupil’s social class or postal address, but the points race certainly favours those students whose parents can pay for extra tuition and exam preparation. – Yours, etc,

STEVE CORONELLA,

Shankill, Co Dublin.

Sir, – A university education is not the be-all and end-all. We should take a leaf from the German book and beef up our apprenticeship system. – Yours, etc,

J MULDOON,

Sligo.