Madam, - Almost every one of the highly organised flood of letters to you expressing anger at plans for primary school tests suggest the Minister might be better off having smaller classes. I have an even better idea: how about a longer school year?
Last Wednesday, July 21st, schools in England closed for the summer holidays. Our own children have been loose for weeks.
Funny how agitated teachers get - even the ones who have babies during the summer holidays and who will be on fully paid leave until next January - when the dreaded word "assessment" appears on the horizon.
You see, the real reason for the convulsions is that if the tests come in the incompetent teachers will be shown up - and this is to be avoided at all costs.
It was ever thus! - Yours, etc.
PAT BRENNAN, Willow Park Road, Dublin 11.