18 replies to this topic

[LionJess]

The title explains it all. This can be a drastic change, from a revolution of your countries educational system, to a small changes that always irritated you or feel like it would make a massive change. If you like, feel free to include something you really like about your education system.

Onwards!

For me personally I would change:

Change our countries way of getting into university:
At the moment it is done off a 'points' system and your TOTAL points is what matters, therefore an overall aptititude in the 6 subjects you must sit for your leaving certificate (English, Irish and Maths being compulsory, the others optional). Many degrees DO have entry level requirements that mean you have to have studied a certain subject at leaving cert level, but most don't, so this means you could hypothetically go into an English degree having got a D in English, or go into an Accounting degree having NEVER studied accountancy. The focus would be less on exams and more on overall aptitude and suitability for the course. Perhaps entrance level exams to test your ability for certain skills you'd need for the course.

Reformation of language-teaching and 'other' languages:
I'd make it obligatory for students to have a foregin language from primary school (age 4) to leaving certificate (age 18). Most high schools do insist on pupils taking a foreign language but the choice is often only French or German. Learning a language from such a young age when kids are like sponges would be massively beneficial to them. I'd also probably try to push (or at least offer) other languages, such as Chinese, or maybe Hindi, and not French or German. There'd be incentives to go to language summer camps, and classes would be more focused on speaking the language rather than understanding grammatical technicalities they'll likely never use. Irish, which is currently compulsory until 18 and examinable, I would probably make optional after the Junior certificate (age 15), for the reasons that it's a dead language that most will never use after leaving school. The ones that would study it would have a genuine interest and not be held back by those who are forced to do it. You could, if you wanted, study Irish as one of your 'other languages' instead of French/German/Chinese/Hindi whatever, but you must study both Irish and an 'other language' from 4 until 16 at least.

Provide some sort of 'critical analysis' classes:
They probably should be started at primary level on a basic level. People these days really can't think for themselves, they don't know how to research anything, they believe a lot of the media regardless of what they say...





The one thing I really approve of in the Irish system is free third level education, we don't pay university fees at ALL, only a registration fee, of about €3000 a year which poorer families can be exempt from. Our students graduate with NO student debt, and everyone has had an opportunity at least to educate themselves and get some form of further education, whether it's a certificate course or an honours degree.

[Kane.]

My view is somewhat skewed if i'm fair, I have a set of beliefs that, whilst agree would probably be good for the English education set up, aren't really the way i'd want to go through school. So it's quite tricky, but i'll have a go.

Bring back a focus on true academia subects
It seems to be now days that schools tend to let these new subjects slip into the curriculum where by it's generally a pretty useless skill, even the seemingly vocational ones, what point is it teaching it to a 7 year old? Sure I understand it may inspire them and give them a pathway into doing something when they grow up. However at the same time they can go to University and choose to specialise and study a specific course like that. At school it should focus on actually getting everyone literate (the amount of people that genuinely just can't spell is worrying.. oh wait, hi EC.) I mean, for us and I know this is quite snobbish but fuck it. I came from a school where we've all done well and has a track record of doing well, we scoffed at something like general studies, it wasn't a real subject to us because we knew Universities didn't really take it seriously. I just don't think School should be somewhere you learn to massage over read.

Stricter rules for students that invoke respect for teachers rather than just fear.
There's a trend in the UK, at least in London. Where the students feel like they're the bosses and have no respect for the staff at school, there's no value for knowledge to them and well, they all just go out and stab everyone. Now I can't really say I was always one to follow the rules, but whenever we were "naughty" it was just in the interest of fun, we appreciated that in the end we wanted to do well and knew that we were paying a lot of money to be at the school. This meant that when it came to crunch time we generally got on with the teachers and respected them and tried to work with them to achieve (although occasionally we just wanted lulz.) I just feel as if there should be a way to change the general attitude teenagers have to school where by they actually want to do well rather than just see it as somewhere they're forced to go.

Just get the fuck rid of Btechs and the such
Again, I don't mean to be snobbish or elitist. Just blunt and truthful. B techs are just absolute bollocks, GCSEs aren't much better now days, school should focus on worth while qualifications that actually count for something if you want to achieve anything more than Mcdonalds. IGCSE, IB and A level are where it mainly seems to be now. I mean now days it's so competitive that even University graduates whom; unless they have a 2:1 are struggling to get jobs, so what's the point in wasting money and time on qualifications that are, ultimately, worth fuck all.

[Kane.]

The one thing I really approve of in the Irish system is free third level education, we don't pay university fees at ALL, only a registration fee, of about €3000 a year which poorer families can be exempt from. Our students graduate with NO student debt, and everyone has had an opportunity at least to educate themselves and get some form of further education, whether it's a certificate course or an honours degree.

Whilst I agree this is a good point, we do have to be careful this thread doesn't turn into a "UNIVERSITY FEES OVER 9000?!?! RAGGEE BAWWLLL" thread for the English students.

[Rellik San]

Just get the fuck rid of Btechs and the such
Again, I don't mean to be snobbish or elitist. Just blunt and truthful. B techs are just absolute bollocks, GCSEs aren't much better now days, school should focus on worth while qualifications that actually count for something if you want to achieve anything more than Mcdonalds. IGCSE, IB and A level are where it mainly seems to be now. I mean now days it's so competitive that even University graduates whom; unless they have a 2:1 are struggling to get jobs, so what's the point in wasting money and time on qualifications that are, ultimately, worth fuck all.

As someone from a non-standard education I have to disagree, B-Techs are useful as are Polytech Colleges (where I went). They serve the purpose of allowing students who's schools may not have had a sixth form and those who were in my boat by providing us with an equivalent (or often higher level) qualification then a sixth form. Also allowing specialists, after all, why would someone who wants to specialise in applied mathmatics still need to study biology? Specialists are just as, if not more useful then generalists.

Whilst I agree this is a good point, we do have to be careful this thread doesn't turn into a "UNIVERSITY FEES OVER 9000?!?! RAGGEE BAWWLLL" thread for the English students.

Why is that a rage bawwwwwwwl? Not everyone who deserves to go to university can afford to finish up over £27,000 in debt, sure you can say that you only have to pay that back when you hit a certain income bracket, but that's irrelevant. University should be free to everyone who earns a spot in it.

[Insane Pie]

I'd rather not pay $250,000 for four years of school that I have to audition for, that I get accepted into; aka music.

Price.
Better materials.
Better budget.

[Kane.]

As someone from a non-standard education I have to disagree, B-Techs are useful as are Polytech Colleges (where I went). They serve the purpose of allowing students who's schools may not have had a sixth form and those who were in my boat by providing us with an equivalent (or often higher level) qualification then a sixth form. Also allowing specialists, after all, why would someone who wants to specialise in applied mathmatics still need to study biology? Specialists are just as, if not more useful then generalists.


Why is that a rage bawwwwwwwl? Not everyone who deserves to go to university can afford to finish up over £27,000 in debt, sure you can say that you only have to pay that back when you hit a certain income bracket, but that's irrelevant. University should be free to everyone who earns a spot in it.

- I just feel the same can be acquired via different forms of qualification, maybe i'm a bit biased because if i'm completely frank, the majority of people I know from my generation who boast about having a b-tech are degenerate fucks. It is true however that within this competitive climate we live in now, people will only choose the best. I'm not against specialising in subjects, I just believe schools should focus on different mediums to achieve this.

- woah woah woah now cowboy, In no way am I for the University fees, for I am one of those who is going to be in about £40,000 worth of debt by the end of my degree and of course I agree that everyone should go to University for free, my point was that there has already been SO much rage and debate over this point that it would be easy for this thread to fall into it all over again.

[Rellik San]

- I just feel the same can be acquired via different forms of qualification, maybe i'm a bit biased because if i'm completely frank, the majority of people I know from my generation who boast about having a b-tech are degenerate fucks. It is true however that within this competitive climate we live in now, people will only choose the best. I'm not against specialising in subjects, I just believe schools should focus on different mediums to achieve this.

- woah woah woah now cowboy, In no way am I for the University fees, for I am one of those who is going to be in about £40,000 worth of debt by the end of my degree and of course I agree that everyone should go to University for free, my point was that there has already been SO much rage and debate over this point that it would be easy for this thread to fall into it all over again.

They're the people you know... they're southerners... OF COURSE they are degenerate fucks. But I know plenty of people who have acquired them and are productive members of society.

I know, but discussion and rage is the only tool most of us have for communicating this to the powers that be, so now I'll mention... ohhhhhh Green Peace, this thread'll be picked up by MI5 and they'll see that we're raging about fees.

[Kane.]

They're the people you know... they're southerners... OF COURSE they are degenerate fucks. But I know plenty of people who have acquired them and are productive members of society.

I know, but discussion and rage is the only tool most of us have for communicating this to the powers that be, so now I'll mention... ohhhhhh Green Peace, this thread'll be picked up by MI5 and they'll see that we're raging about fees.

But the people you know.... they're northerners.... productive members of society up north are degenerate fucks to us southerners


;]

[Lightning.]

Well at the moment I'm studying an NHS funded course in the UK, the only thing I would change is that students from the republic of Ireland get a bursary, other students from my course get £560 a month and it's not means tested. I can't apply for any of the universities hardship funds because I'm not from the UK, I've really struggled the past year and a half with having next to no money.

Now I'm doing better but I'm sacrificing my study time to work to earn money :/

[finality]

1. Get religion out of schools. It's ridiculous that Irish children are taught to be Catholic from the start of primary school through secondary. In my secondary school atheism/agnosticism were absolutely not taken seriously, and students were forced to attend mass unless their parents contacted the school. There was also one religion teacher teaching "morals" to students, such as that abortion was wrong and that you'd go to hell if you didn't believe in god. What a load of shit. That shouldn't be allowed in schools, fair enough for teachers to express their opinions, but they shouldn't be allowed to teach their opinions as if they're fact.


Not sure about others, will think more later.

[Anne-Marie]

As you may know, I'm pretty fucking proud of our educational system. I don't know everything that's going on everywhere, though, so my knowledge on the matter might be very insufficient.

As far as I'm concerned, there isn't really anything wrong. The students are pricks but that's really the only problem I see.

[Rellik San]

1. Get religion out of schools. It's ridiculous that Irish children are taught to be Catholic from the start of primary school through secondary. In my secondary school atheism/agnosticism were absolutely not taken seriously, and students were forced to attend mass unless their parents contacted the school. There was also one religion teacher teaching "morals" to students, such as that abortion was wrong and that you'd go to hell if you didn't believe in god. What a load of shit. That shouldn't be allowed in schools, fair enough for teachers to express their opinions, but they shouldn't be allowed to teach their opinions as if they're fact.


Not sure about others, will think more later.

To modify, Get Religious Bias out of Schools Infrastructure and ensure all R.E. Teachers are infact non-biased.

[Kane.]

To modify, Get Religious Bias out of Schools Infrastructure and ensure all R.E. Teachers are infact non-biased.

He has a point, I had 2 RS/Philosophy teachers, one of whom was a Christian and the other an Epicurean Animist, yet they both taught every religion equally.

[LionJess]

1. Get religion out of schools. It's ridiculous that Irish children are taught to be Catholic from the start of primary school through secondary. In my secondary school atheism/agnosticism were absolutely not taken seriously, and students were forced to attend mass unless their parents contacted the school. There was also one religion teacher teaching "morals" to students, such as that abortion was wrong and that you'd go to hell if you didn't believe in god. What a load of shit. That shouldn't be allowed in schools, fair enough for teachers to express their opinions, but they shouldn't be allowed to teach their opinions as if they're fact.


Not sure about others, will think more later.

Good point, but is that not more a fault with a particular school than with the educational system as a whole? I suppose that a number of schools still have that kind of outlook due to Irelands long lived relationship with catholicism. I do think things are changing though, there's a number of non-catholic schools and personally, despite going to a catholic school, it was actually never forced down our throats and our religion classes weren't really... religious at all. But some people are very reluctant to let go of attaching religion to education, that really needs to change.

[Kane.]

Good point, but is that not more a fault with a particular school than with the educational system as a whole? I suppose that a number of schools still have that kind of outlook due to Irelands long lived relationship with catholicism. I do think things are changing though, there's a number of non-catholic schools and personally, despite going to a catholic school, it was actually never forced down our throats and our religion classes weren't really... religious at all. But some people are very reluctant to let go of attaching religion to education, that really needs to change.

Who cares about Catholicism in Ireland anyway!... oh.

[Rellik San]

Good point, but is that not more a fault with a particular school than with the educational system as a whole? I suppose that a number of schools still have that kind of outlook due to Irelands long lived relationship with catholicism. I do think things are changing though, there's a number of non-catholic schools and personally, despite going to a catholic school, it was actually never forced down our throats and our religion classes weren't really... religious at all. But some people are very reluctant to let go of attaching religion to education, that really needs to change.

It's not just Irish schools, in English Primary school, prayer at assembly is mandatory.

[RoscoBenjamin]

Make it less stressful so we don't have to endure more of:

This
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120304-331542.html

This
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120112-321483.html

Or this
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Singapore/Story/A1Story20120304-331544.html

The education system here is so elitist it's sad. University intakes are primarily based on GCE A levels first, the top polytechinic students and the rest are basically dumped into the wilderness to take up the "menial" jobs.
Those who go private education route well, no matter how recognized the institution, you can NEVER use it to get into a local university. I probably will have to go overseas to further my education.

[finality]

To modify, Get Religious Bias out of Schools Infrastructure and ensure all R.E. Teachers are infact non-biased.

Well yeah, I wouldn't mind learning objectively about different religions, it's being taught what to believe I take issue with.

[Steve]

My R.E teacher was Christian through and through, but he'd teach any other religion objectively, he was one of the most enlightening RE teachers I've had, he was respectful of every religion out there. I've never had an RE teacher that's forced their believes unto me or anyone else, they were just more enthusiastic about teaching their own religion than any other.