Sarah Kenny, a 19-year-old student from Wexford, got the shock of her life last Friday when she scored a perfect 625 in her Leaving Cert. Her father, Bobby Kenny, an accountant in Crossabeg, Wexford, described the shocking moment as a very emotional encounter for everyone. Sarah, however, was nervous about sharing her news, fearing she might come off as arrogant.
Unfortunately, the elation of her excellent grades quickly turned to heartbreak when she found out she did not secure a spot in her dream course, Economics and Finance at UCD, despite her stellar grades. The selection process engaged in by higher institutions, commonly referred to as the lottery system, had chosen successful candidates, leaving Sarah out.
As Bobby bitterly observed, Sarah had between the hard work and high grades, yet was left demoralised and disillusioned by the Irish education system. At least 20 courses, including Economics and Finance, at CAO employ this lottery practice to select applicants due to inflated Leaving Cert grades, making it challenging to differentiate among top-tier students.
In response to the questions concerning this contentious selection method, Minister for Higher Education Patrick O’Donovan expressed a favourable outlook on this year’s Leaving Cert’s overall statistics. He pointed out that a majority of students secured their desired course. Following the allegations of grade inflation, O’Donovan insisted on upholding fairness, noting the unprecedented circumstances under which many students sat their exams.
Bobby, however, vehemently disagreed with the ‘fair and equitable’ characterisation of the system, describing it as unjust. He called for universities to open more spots for top-achieving students, rather than resort to a lottery system. He stressed that the futures of students like Sarah should not be left to chance.
Mr Kenny, who is himself an accountant by trade, stated that his daughter, a former student of the Ursuline Convent in Thurles, Co Tipperary, had explored numerous university campuses the previous year in order to evaluate her future prospects. She was particularly enticed by the UCD’s economics and finance course.
Mr Kenny reflected that his choice of career may have influenced her, albeit slightly, over time. He revealed that her inclination is decidedly towards the fields of accounting or commerce, and she regarded the course as the realization of her dreams.
He continued to refer to a finance programme at UCC in Cork as her backup, but emphasized that it was not her preferred choice. She had exerted immense effort to secure a score of 625 to be eligible for her desired course and was presently in a state of distress. Mr Kenny expressed his lack of belief that such a scenario could occur in 21st century Ireland.