Extra points for Irish = educational apartheid

national | miscellaneous | other press Tuesday December 23, 2008 11:22 by JayC

Muireann Ni Mhorain, head of An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta & Gaelscolaíochta, attempts to justify extra points for those taking exams in Irish in the Leaving Cert.

A recent columnists piece, in the Irish Times, described the practice of giving bonus points in various subjects to those sitting exams through Irish as "educational apartheid". Effectively, it seems that displaying the same knowledge of a given subject as Gaeilge attracts more points than someone doing the exact same through English.

By extension, someone showing an inferior knowledge of a particular subject (through Irish) will be marked above someone has a superior knowledge of the same subject - by a margin of 3 to 10 per cent. Most reasonable people would concede that this is unfair, and distorts results and college placings.

Muireann Ni Mhorain, head of An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta & Gaelscolaíochta attempts to justify the practice at the link below.

Taken from the Gombeen Nation blog, with acknowledgment to the Irish Times.