All your education questions answered by Brian Mooney

At a recent presentation in my daughter's school, I encountered the LCVP. Could you tell me something about its content, how it is assessed and credited, and why the principal indicated that only a small percentage of next year's fifth years will be eligible to take it due to Department regulations?

The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme is currently being offered in more than 520 schools nationwide, although only about a quarter of students in those schools take the programme. Fourteen thousand students took the LCVP in 2006 and, of those, 87 per cent presented the LCVP as one of their best six subjects for entry to college.

The reason why little more than a quarter of Leaving Cert students take the LCVP is that they have to include in their subject choices two from a list of specialist or service vocational subject groupings. Many students take the required subjects as part of their Leaving Cert, but not in the combination set out in the syllabus. This is one of the major causes of disagreement among students and schools wishing to participate in the LCVP, and is in my view unfair and inequitable. The Department of Education and Science is aware of this problem, but envisages no change in the subject restrictions.

Here are two examples of the anomalies that exist: firstly, students can choose any two subjects from the combination construction studies, engineering and technical drawing, or they can take physics with either construction studies or engineering but not with technical drawing. This does not make any sense, as many students who might like a career as an architectural technician take physics and technical drawing as their preferred combination.

Secondly, students can choose home economics with either agricultural science or biology. They can choose home economics with any business subject or they can choose agricultural science with any business subject. However, they cannot choose biology with a business subject.

The LCVP consists of Link Modules, which have two elements: preparation for the world of work and enterprise education. There are many benefits involved in the study of Link Modules, including the development of additional skills such as planning, report writing, critical thinking, team working, communication skills, research skills, job-seeking skills, enterprise skills, ICT skills and leadership.

As a guidance counsellor, I believe that the career investigation in developing research skills, and in focusing students on their future career, in the preparation for the world of work module, is invaluable. In addition, the work experience/work shadowing which is encouraged in an area related to their career choice really helps them in their future career decisions. The practical activities involved in the enterprise education module, where students profile successful enterprises and interview entrepreneurs, motivate students and develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills. These key skills are recognised as essential in the modern working environment. Every student should, in my view, have access to enterprise education as part of the Leaving Certificate programme.

Assessment involves the preparation of a portfolio of coursework, and a written examination that includes an audio-visual element and a case study section, as well as the traditional written questions. Students have the option of presenting some of their portfolio on audio and video. The LCVP is accepted for points purposes, up to a maximum of 70 points for a distinction, in all universities and institutes of technology.

E-mail questions to bmooney@irish-times.ie