LEAVING CERTIFICATE AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE:THERE WAS no sign of sheep or potatoes on yesterday's higher level agricultural science paper, which emphasised biology over agriculture, according to teachers.
Students were broadly pleased with the paper, but there was some disappointment that the subjects of dairy and beef, large components of the syllabus, were given only “minimal” treatment.
“This paper would have suited a biology student with a bit of a background in agriculture,” said Peter Keaney of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland. “There has been a big move in recent years to examine the biology element of the course at the expense of the agricultural element.”
The agricultural science syllabus is one of the oldest on the Leaving Cert curriculum. It was introduced in 1969 and has not been reviewed since.
“There is a vast difference between the agricultural science of today and of 40 years ago,” said Mr Keaney. “In 1969 we hadn’t even joined the EU.”
He suggested the exam had “drifted away from the syllabus” because much of the material was too dated to be examined. “It’s high time that the subject was revamped,” he said.
Mr Keaney teaches at Wilson’s Hospital School in Multyfarnham, Co Westmeath, which is set on farmland. Almost half of all Leaving Cert students at the school take agricultural science.
Nationally, 6,685 students took yesterday’s exam. Numbers taking the course have risen by 2,000 in three years. Almost 70 per cent of students were awarded an honour at higher level last year, with about 14 per cent getting A grades.
