Barbara Ennis, Principal of Alexandra College in Milltown Dublin and Julian De Spáinn, Conradh na Gaeilge General-Secretary on Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio One spoke about the pros and cons of making Irish an optional subject after Junior Cert.
Former Irish teacher Barbara Ennis said even though it wouldn't be her 'first port of call', she saw changing Irish to an optional subject after Junior Cert as a potential solution to the 'debacle' around exemptions from learning Irish. The students in Alexandra College often saw learning Irish as an 'irritant', post Junior Cert when they're in the points race of the Leaving Cert where they often choose higher level Maths over Irish as there are 25 extra points to be gained from doing so.
Julian de Spáinn said since the system of exemptions changed in 2019, there is much more pressure on school Principals like Barbara to make decisions about exemptions from learning Irish, a system which according to educational experts such as Professor Pádraig Ó Duibhir have no basis in research or educational theory.
Dúirt De Spáinn go raibh gá le cur chuige atá níos solúbtha maidir le foghlaim na Gaeilge sa chóras oideachais, seachas an córas atá ann i láthair na huaire nach dtugann solúbthacht nó mórán rogha dóibh siúd atá ag tabhairt faoi fhoghlaim na teanga. Bhain sé úsáid as cás na Breataine Bige, áit a bhfuil daltaí ag tabhairt faoi chóras atá cosúil leis an bhFráma Eorpach atá molta aige in Éirinn.
D'aontaigh Barbara agus Julian go raibh an córas seo briste agus gur gá aghaidh a thabhairt air láithreach mar go raibh idir mhúinteoirí agus daltaí scoile croíbhriste ag plé leis.
De Spáinn suggests there should be a complete overhaul on how Irish is taught from pre-school and should be based on European framework, a skills-based curriculum in order to accommodate those who are facing challenges learning languages rather than leaving them out of the system. Julian also mentioned that this system could include rather than exclude those who are coming to learning Irish later in their lives, he says the current system is 'creating division' in our society between those who are born here and those who have come to Ireland in later years.
