Dear Editor,
It’s gravely concerning to observe the declining interest in geography in our education system following its omission from the Junior Cycle’s main curriculum due to scheduling and staff management matters. The benefits of history being kept in the curriculum are clearly seen, while geography seems to be left behind.
There was an 8.5% surge in Junior Cycle participants to 72,828 in 2024 from the post-Covid data in 2022. As the number of history scholars rose by 24% to 70,930, geography saw a meagre increment of 4.9% to 61,498. This is lower than the overall growth in the Junior Cycle. The number of students taking part in the Leaving Certificate geography exam also plummeted alarmingly from 24,378 in 2021 to 18,651 in 2024, a steep 23.5% dive. The resulting effect seeped into university-level education too, with fewer students opting for geography and geology courses.
The aftermath of neglecting geographical education is, and will continue to be, significant. Without it, the younger generation will lack in-depth knowledge in crucial areas like farming, manufacturing, migration, globalisation, and climate change. This lack of awareness makes them susceptible to divisive factors. Such a scenario doesn’t bode well for our society or economy.
Therefore, it’s high time schools and educators reassessed the value of geographical studies, rather than just focusing on promoting their individual subjects.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Lydon
President, Association of Geography Teachers of Ireland,
Clondalkin, Dublin 22.