One of Ireland's largest teaching unions has criticised the use of college entry league tables, arguing they do not give a true reflection of a school's performance.

Pat King, general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), stated the rankings "present a shallow, incomplete and distorted picture of the work of schools."

He explained the system treats all students as a single group and does not appreciate each individual's unique set of goals, interests, skills and experiences.

"League tables are damaging to education because they can distort the priorities of schools as teachers come under pressure to jettison aspects of holistic education" and focus only on the areas that will boost their standings in the list, Mr King continued.

He added the way to improve the education system in Ireland is through investment, noting that even before the recent round of cuts, the country spent less in this sector than almost all other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development nations.

Previously, ASTI has also spoken out against unannounced inspections in secondary schools, claiming the single-day assessments cannot offer a full picture of an establishment's performance.

Written by Donal Walsh
 

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