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‘Misleading’ table sinks local
schools
24.11.11
by Caoimhinn Barr, Inishowen Independent
TWO Inishowen secondary school principals have
blasted as ‘misleading’ a list of school league
tables published this week.
In the list, which rates schools according to what
percentage of students it sends to universities or
institutes of technology, Inishowen fared poorly,
with all four local colleges in the bottom half of
the Donegal table.
Condemning Inishowen schools to low positions is the
fact that the 2011 league tables do not account for
students here who have decided to further their
studies at the North-West Regional College in Derry.
Pupils who travelled to universities in Britain are
also not counted in the list.
Moville Community College and Carn Community School
are Inishowen’s best education facilities, according
to the list – with both sending 57% of students to
qualifying third-level institutions. Scoil Mhuire is
at 50% with Crana College at 36%. |
Scoil Mhuire, Buncrana
principal Liam Rainey said the list comes with a
warning.
“As always the information in such tables is
incomplete and therefore misleading – even the
people who compiled the list acknowledge this. Our
students who progressed to colleges in NI or
universities in the UK are not accounted for. The
list is incomplete and comes with a warning,” he
said.
“We in Scoil Mhuire do know for certain that all but
six of our 98 students who sat the Leaving last year
have gone on to further education but this is not
reflected in the school league tables list. |
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Scoil Mhuire principal, Liam Rainey,
says university league table is 'misleading'. |
Inishowen schools would
perform as well if not better than others in the
country if the figures were properly adjusted,”
Rainey added.
Similarly, Moville Community College principal
Anthony Doogan said he puts little stock in the
latest list.
“These league tables suggest that a school is only
successful if all its pupils go on to attend third
level colleges or ITs. Those of us who teach the
entire community cater for children who will not go
to universities because it is not their chosen
career and because they are not suited to it,” he
said.
“We also cater for students who go to third level at
the North-West Regional College in Derry, those who
do the Leaving Cert Applied and those with special
needs. There are also many students who go straight
to the world of work.
“Inishowen has close ties with several cities in
Scotland and other parts of the UK. We have many
students at colleges in Glasgow, Edinburgh,
Aberdeen, Aberystwyth and Glamorgan among others.
These students are not counted in the list either.
We are more concerned with our service to children
than with surveys which have clear faults,” Doogan
added.
St. Columba’s, Glenties, was Donegal’s top school in
the league table with 100% of its pupils entering
the prescribed third level colleges in the list. |
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