Sir, – I wish to express my staunch opposition to the arguments presented by Friends of the Elderly (Home News, March 19th) for the abolition of Transition Year.
As a TY student, aged 16, I am experiencing the intellectual and social benefits of fourth year. As a result of TY I have become a more confident, mature and independent person in facing different challenges. I have academically progressed in all subject areas. I am better at working with other people, I have developed many useful skills such as IT, cooking and organisation and above all I am more motivated.
Are these not positive and worthwhile changes that not only benefit the students, but also society? Transition year students nationwide are involved in many community service projects such as Young Social Innovators, Gaisce and the Friends of the Elderly Transition Year Programme.
A compulsory community service year (a suggestion by Friends of the Elderly) would be a poor substitute for TY. It would be difficult to keep most pupils satisfied with doing community service (in other words forced labour) for seven hours a day, five days a week, over the course of a nine-month school year, as they would not be able to attain the myriad of other benefits Transition Year offers.
Surely, the fundamental purpose of any school programme such as Transition Year is to develop the student’s potential? Responsibility for solving the problems of the elderly rests with the wider community, the Government and the elderly themselves.
Contrary to being “self-indulgent” and “a luxury we can’t afford”, transition year is a necessity we can’t afford to be without. Indeed, were it not for transition year, I would not have had the initiative to express my strong opinions with this letter. – Yours, etc,