Madam, - I have a big concern about the Minister for Education's plan to introduce standard literacy testing in first and sixth class.
First of all, it seems to me very unfair to introduce children of such a young age to exams. Are we going to introduce to primary schools something we already condemn in secondary school, i.e. teaching to the exam?
It is nearly impossible to get a child with a learning difficulty assessed or helped in primary schools currently.
The situation may have changed recently but in my local primary school the principle was only allowed send two pupils for assessment each year.
So unless you have the funds to go privately for assessment your child is at the mercy of the ability of a teacher who is teaching three classes in the one room.
I experienced this situation myself in primary school in the 1970s and am horrified to think my children still face the same difficulties today in 2004. I worry that a child with dyslexia, for example, who is quite intelligent, may have an official label of slow or below average put on them by this exam.
My final concern and perhaps my greatest one is the possibility (probability) that the assessment in sixth class will be used as a screening mechanism for secondary schools to select incoming pupils.
There is a great focus now, that only seems to be growing, on the numbers of students from a particular school enter third level.
The availability of these exam results to secondary schools may see them cherrypicking students for acceptance or rejection - the return of entrance exams by the back door. - Yours, etc.,
PAUL McCARTHY, Turloughmore Galway.
Madam, - As a mother of two young children, I am horrified at Mr Dempsey's plans to test primary schoolchildren throughout their school years.
Ireland's primary school curriculum is wonderful; it is child centred and concentrates on the "whole" education and the development of the child.
This is in complete contrast to our secondary school system when year after year, parents, teachers and students bemoan the dreaded points system.
The points system is caused by the Leaving Certificate exam and the narrow focus it puts on education.
Giving national tests to our primary schoolchildren will have exactly the same effect.
It will prevent teachers from giving time to the all-round development of the child, and focus instead on the "testable" skills of reading and numeracy.
I do not need Mr Dempsey's tests to tell me how my children are getting on at school.
Children with difficulties do not need his tests, they need resource teachers to assist them, they need extra teachers brought into the system so that the child:teacher ratio is reduced.
Forcing children to do national tests in primary school will bring unnecessary pressure on them.
It will label them according to narrow criteria. and it will waste valuable teaching time.
It does not reflect the best interests of our children.
If Mr Dempsey succeeds with his money-wasting plan, I see absolutely no reason why I should let my children take these tests. - Yours, etc.,
LINDA RICHARDSON, Daneswell Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9.