Sir, – We wish to echo the concerns of the President of the Association of Geography Teachers of Ireland regarding the downgrading of Geography and History as core subjects in the Junior Cycle in secondary schools (June 21st). Such a move would be extremely shortsighted. Geography and History are important school subjects because they are integrative disciplines. They help young people understand the society in which they live by framing it within the context of our past and other places.
Never has such an understanding been more important. We live in a rapidly globalising and interconnected planet, where decisions made all round the world have impacts on Ireland. We are increasingly confronted with a range of environmental issues such as climate change and climate justice, food security, water supply and resource depletion.
Geography provides students with the analytical and empirical skills to make sense of local, regional, national and global processes, whether they be social, political, economic or environmental in nature. They are skills highly valued by employers across the whole economy, with Geography graduates consistently having one of the lowest unemployment rates among graduates. Irish people are noted globally for their worldliness – that they are knowledgeable about the geography and history of places and peoples within and beyond Ireland. Removing Geography and History from the curriculum will erode a vital knowledge and skill bases that is one of our strongest assets. – Yours, etc,