While some pundits argue that students need not be overly worried about accruing CAO points to land their ideal career, I remain sceptical. The assertion seemingly negates the reality that many courses still demand 500 points or more, hinting that these high scores are instrumental in entering particular professions.
That being said, I must offer a differing perspective on this notion. The notion that a student’s Leaving Certificate, and by extension their CAO points, solely determine their career trajectory, is a thing of the past.
There isn’t a career that is inaccessible to any student who can secure both the matriculation requirements and the prerequisites for specific courses. Although this route might be more scenic and less straightforward, it is feasible. It may, for instance, necessitate a student to commence their tertiary education with an advanced certificate/ordinary degree program (level six or seven) as opposed to a level eight (honours degree) course.
The pressure that students face, the lack of alternative teaching methods, and the resultant decline in creativity underscore the urgent need for a reformation in the Irish classroom. Throughout my extensive teaching career, I’ve witnessed how the CAO points competition profoundly shaped nearly all facets of second-level education.
Students also have the opportunity to start at further education colleges where they can take a level five/six course and apply to their desired third-level course through the CAO’s round zero offers in the following year in early August.
Moreover, there are now around 70 different apprenticeships available, many of which could potentially lead to a college degree. A promising development is the introduction of roughly 40 courses provided by the National Tertiary Office that offer college degrees in fields such as nursing and engineering. Entry requirements for these programs are not reliant on CAO point scores.
Whilst it is true that some CAO courses require 500 or more points and offer only a few alternative routes, it is important to note that similar courses might be available across European universities. These courses, taught in English, tend to have lower entry prerequisites and cover areas such as medicine, veterinary science, dentistry, and so on.
I cannot stress enough how the CAO points race has substantially moulded almost every facet of second-level education throughout my lengthy teaching career. This system was borne out of the necessity for universities to efficiently select candidates as an increasing number of students aimed to pursue tertiary education.
Over the years, there has been a predominating view among students, parents, and a good number of educators that any activity not leading to increased points was merely a distraction. This mindset led to the emergence of grind schools mainly focusing on examination subjects.
However, new alternatives to the CAO that have surfaced in the last decade might potentially spark a revolution in our educational system, relieving it from the pressures and anxiety caused by the race for points. It will be liberating, yet challenging for teachers to inspire students’ passion in their subjects. My optimism remains unshaken that we could cultivate an educational model centred around the pure joy of learning, unhindered by the dread that CAO cut-off points have instilled over the previous half-century.