The Hypocrisy of our Education Minister.

[voiceofretribution]

Now wanting to sound all Barrw-esque, but does anyone else see the blatent hypocrasy espoused by Minister Hanafin.

After nearly 1 in 8 failed ordinary level mathematics today she called on third level institutions to suspend indefinitely the regulation that maintains you need to at least pass the ordinary level paper in maths before you enter college.

Her logic, while it may seem sound, is that as Maths isn't part of a sizeable amount of third level courses, so why can't students who pass foundation level maths be permitted to third level places.

Now while i still may think certain standards are no harm for education, the point of my argument is that isn't this new agenda a bit rich coming from a government who maintains that every student in Ireland must be thought Irish up the age of 18 because it enhances the standard of education.

Essentially on one hand she is calling for matriculation to college to be changed as the requirement on pass maths blocks the potential of students who don't intend on pursuing a mathematical type of vocation,

Yet on the other hand she states its absolutely critical to maintain a subject right up to leaving cert that only relates to around 4% of all third level courses.

[BarryW]

"You shouldn't have to do Maths, because its not needed for most 3rd level courses"

but

"You should have to do Irish, even though it is irrelevant for 96% of 3rd level courses"

Sounds like Hanafin logic to me

[sean1]

I thought one had to pass English or Irish for most courses?

[Pidge]

I thought one had to pass English or Irish for most courses?

I know it's both for UCD,D.

[David Cochrane]

Doesn't TCD treat Irish as foreign language?

[Eddiepops]

I thought one had to pass English or Irish for most courses?

I always thought that English, Irish and maths were essential for matriculation onto most university courses. At least I think that was the case when i left school

[green]

After nearly 1 in 8 failed ordinary level mathematics today she called on third level institutions to suspend indefinitely the regulation that maintains you need to at least pass the ordinary level paper in maths before you enter college.

Which colleges have such a requirement? I know NUI doesn't, but what about non-NUI universities and ITs? Anyone?

[jjcarroll]

After nearly 1 in 8 failed ordinary level mathematics today she called on third level institutions to suspend indefinitely the regulation that maintains you need to at least pass the ordinary level paper in maths before you enter college.

Which colleges have such a requirement? I know NUI doesn't, but what about non-NUI universities and ITs? Anyone?

From a general glance, the vast majority of NUI courses require maths. Not all, but most.

[green]

True, but it's not a general matric requirement. A friend of mine failed LC maths and got his BA last year. But do other colleges have LC maths as a requirement, regardless of the course?

[CJH]

Doesn't TCD treat Irish as foreign language?

No, but it is not obligatory; you must have studied either Irish or Latin