A chara, – A new subject called "Politics and Society" is to be introduced for Leaving Cert students ("Politics to be Leaving Cert subject", November 11th). This is to make them aware of capitalism, Marxism, globalisation, and so on. Students in the past were always very familiar with these concepts through the study of history and geography. Perhaps the "powers that be" should encourage the return of these subjects so that students can learn the concepts in their proper context instead of introducing yet another half-baked subject. – Is mise,
MARTINA RYAN,
Wexford.
Sir, – I was delighted to read that a new course in “Politics and Society” is to be a Leaving Certificate subject. However as I read on in your article, I was dismayed to find out that the time allocated to this course is less than half that of any other subject in the Leaving Certificate.
I can’t for the life of me see how one double-class per week is going to facilitate the ability of any student to evaluate critically any key concepts in this course.
Is this the beginning of the Government policy of lowering standards in the Leaving Certificate, as has happened in the new Junior Certificate? Is the policy of the National Centre for Curriculum and Assessment going to continue to guide us as a nation toward intellectual bankruptcy? – Yours, etc,
ENDA WHELTON,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.