Quinn urges debate on CAO points [IrishTimes]
- Published: 07 September 2011
Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn says he has an "open mind '' about changes to the CAO points system for college admission.
Speaking a today's unveiling of a new report on college entry, the Minister called for a public debate on the transition by students from Leaving Cert to third level.
The new report, from former UCD vice president Prof Áine Hyland, backs a radical transformation of the points system. Prof Hyland's paper lists a range of possible new options. These include a lottery for all third level courses.
She also proposes a new, more targeted system that would seek to build a stronger link between the students' skill sets and their college option.
Prof Hyland said she favoured this "weighted lottery '' system whereby, for example, students with strong science grades in the Leaving Cert would gain preferential access to science courses at third level.
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