Oral Irish hike may boost business for Coláistí Samhraidh

Date Published: 29-Sep-2010

Irish summer colleges or Coláistí Samhraidh are hoping that a massive increase in the marks to be awarded for the oral exam will help reverse a downward trend in the number of students doing the courses in the Gaeltacht since the recession hit.

Education and Science Minister Mary Hanafin this year announced the decision to double the marks for oral Irish in the Junior Cert from 20 per cent to 40 per cent and from 25 per cent to 40 per cent for the Leaving Cert.

The new marking system will come into effect for students entering second level this September and sitting the Junior exam in three years time and for Leaving Certs from 2012.

At present only 330 students in twelve schools avail of the option of taking an oral test in Irish in the Junior Cert as it is not compulsory.

Marks for the aural test will be reduced to ten per cent at both higher and ordinary levels in the Leaving, which means that the written element of the paper will be worth half the total marks.

Caitlin Neachtain, development officer for Concos (Comhchoiste na gColáistí Samhraidh) – a federation of 47 Irish summer colleges – said nationally the number of students who attended courses this summer was down by an average of 20%.

Attendance in the 14 colleges across Connemara and the islands was up and down in different colleges, she said.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.