Madam, - I wish to take issue with Declan Meagher (August 28th) about his wish that the Department of Education and Science would calculate the points for each student who has applied through CAO to go to college.
This narrow view of the Leaving Certificate excludes students who are unable to take a college place, or uninterested in doing so. It shows a great lack of sensitivity towards students whose achievement is a triumph of hard work and dedication, but as a points score may total a mere 30 points.
There is life outside the confines of a CAO form. Being used as a measuring stick for the allocation of college places is merely one of many functions of the Leaving Cert, not its raison d'être. I urge that the Department of Education continues to work for the many, and let the CAO look after the few. - Yours, etc.,
RUTH O'ROURKE, St Assam's Avenue, Dublin 5.