Sir, – There has been a recent push in the media to promote the idea of predicted or expected grades at Leaving Certificate level for this year. Any policy which even remotely threatens to lock prejudice into the examination process should be resisted at all costs. In its defence, the objectivity of the current Leaving Certificate examination allows for any student in any school to get any possible grade. Prejudice is ingrained in our educational system (as opposed to the examination system). Anybody who is involved in any level of education knows that. In short, the children of quiet parents lose out when it comes to the distribution of resources. Pushy parents win. No matter what safeguards are put in place, it is hard to believe that a system of predicted grades would not have the same consequences upon the examination process. Predicted grades would be particularly unreliable as a once-off option. If I believe a student has a good chance, rather than a guarantee, of a H1, am I going to reward him or her less than that? Of course I’m not. Professional and all as I believe myself to be, I cannot presume to be God. I have to give the benefit of the doubt. That will relentlessly push up the level of grades nationwide. This cohort of Leaving Certificates students will then always be seen as the year when top grades were given away freely.
The current Leaving Certificate is not perfect so it cannot be perfectly fair but it is a much fairer system than predicted grades. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN NALLY,
Bishopstown, Cork.