Ninth Level Ireland

“The Hyland Report, published on September 7, maintains that the points system is damaging 2nd level education and there is urgent need for change. The report titled Entry to Higher Education in Ireland in the 21st Century was prepared by Dr Áine Hyland, former vice-president of UCC, on behalf of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) …” (more)

[Education Matters, 9 September]

“Changes to admis­sions sys­tems in the UK and Ire­land simply tinker with the exist­ing approach. They don’t address the more fun­da­mental changes in the rela­tion­ship between uni­ver­sity edu­ca­tion, eco­nomic and social life. We’re in the middle of a lot of changes in aca­demia, with the fees increase for stu­dents in Eng­land eli­cit­ing a response in Scot­land, and a report in Ire­land sug­gest­ing changes to the ‘points’ sys­tem of admis­sions to intro­duce more tar­get­ing …” (more)

[simondobson.org, 8 September]

“The report on entry to higher education by Prof Áine Hyland is an important contribution to the debate on reform of the points system. What’s clear from its 25 pages is that the current system is no longer fit for purpose …” (more)

[Irish Times, 8 September]

“Students could be selected for college by lottery instead of having to compete just on the basis of their Leaving Certificate results, according to one proposal for reform of third-level entry …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 8 September]

“An overhaul of the Leaving Certificate points system by introducing a lottery for university places could be a disincentive for the brightest students, the academic proposing the change admitted yesterday. A university president last night also expressed concern about the proposal and how it would work …” (more)

[Breda Heffernan, Independent, 8 September]

“Radical changes to the college admission system could be in place within three years after Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn backed a new report yesterday. Mr Quinn praised the report which suggests places in third-level education could be allocated in a more targeted way …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 8 September]

“… The report does not pull its punches. It sets out no less than 10 separate defects of the current points system. Prof Áine Hyland marshals the case against the current points system with impressive clarity. Her report begs an obvious question – why have we tolerated the Leaving Cert and the points race for so long? …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 8 September]

“Entry to Higher Education in Ireland in the 21st Century, Discussion Paper for the NCCA / HEA Seminar to be held on 21st Sep 2011. Prepared by Áine Hyland, Emeritus Professor of Education, University College Cork, and Chairperson of the Commission on the Points System 1999 …” (pdf)

“Any changes to reduce the pressures on students to perform well in the Leaving Certificate can only be welcomed …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 8 September]

“Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn says he has an ‘open mind’ about changes to the CAO points system for college admission. Speaking a today’s unveiling of a new report on college entry, the Minister called for a public debate on the transition by students from Leaving Cert to third level …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 7 September]

“The country’s third level colleges should consider reducing the number of courses available to first year students in order to lessen the competitiveness that is currently driving the CAO system. The proposal is included in a document drawn up for education authorities in the run-up to a conference on entry to higher education later this month …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 7 September]

“A radical transformation of the CAO college admission system is proposed in a new report due to be published today. The report – being considered by Minister for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn – suggests places in third-level education could be allocated in a more targeted way …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 7 September]

“As long term readers of this blog will know, I am not a fan of the ‘points system’ which determines higher education entry in Ireland. Under this system, eligibility for entry into university programmes is determined by the points score calculated from the results of the final school examination, the Leaving Certificate …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 7 September]

“It is no exaggeration to say the Hyland Report is one of the most significant education reports in two decades. Criticism of the Leaving Cert and the points system has become familiar on the education landscape …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 7 September]

“By now the vast majority of the third-level places offered through the Central Applications Office last Monday have been accepted or deferred for a year. Where student demand is less than anticipated, the remaining places will be offered at lower points, next Thursday, to those next on the list of qualified applicants in round two of the CAO offer process …” (more)

[Brian Mooney, Irish Times, 26 August]

“Sir, – Áine Hyland and Conall Doran (August 23rd) criticise our article (Opinion, August 19th) based on a simple misreading. We said universities ‘are effectively divorced from the admissions process’. This means that universities do not choose which students to admit …” (more)

[Kevin Denny and Colm Harmon, Irish Times, 26 August]

“Today the ‘points race’ peaks as students receive their offers of third-level places from the Central Applications Office. And for all the complaints about the stress suffered by the candidates, for all the debate about the defects of the points system, the signs are good …” (more)

[Independent, 22 August]

“The best ways to ease the pressure of college entry and ensure students are not at risk of dropping out of third-level courses will be debated at a major conference next month. As part of a range of reforms under discussion around higher education entry, including proposals being sought by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn from colleges themselves, the event will bring together school and third-level representatives as well as hearing from students …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 19 August]

“Up to 50,000 sixth-formers will be denied places at university this autumn because of a surge in applications combined with a freeze in undergraduate places. Vice-chancellors and the head of the admissions service warned yesterday of a looming crisis, with many popular courses already full. Nearly one in ten applicants could be left without places at a time of bleak employment prospects for school-leavers. The number of places available through the clearing system — which gives students who missed their A-level grades another chance to apply — will be restricted severely. University heads accused ministers of threatening them with big fines if they took on too many students while encouraging more teenagers to apply …” (more)

[Joanna Sugden, Times, 9 April]