Criticism of Transition Year
In 2004, the Department of Education and Skills asserted that most teachers and principals are not really challenging students in Transition Year, based on official figures from a WSE report: "There was evidence that the content of certain subject areas lacked substance and that students were not being sufficiently challenged. It is strongly recommended that a root and branch review of the programme be undertaken."
In 2009, businessman Bill Cullen dismissed Transition Year as a “doss year.” He also said it was absolute nonsense to suggest that students were getting work experience during the year.
“They’re not getting any work experience, they’re usually dossing,” he said. “They can fall into bad habits and bad company, and get into a habit of just being lazy. It’s a disaster . . . it’s not working at all in the way it was supposed to be. “Whatever job I got when I was working during the school holidays, I did it better and quicker than anyone else: that was my focus all the time. And in that context the young people are not doing anything,” he told Sean Moncrieff on Newstalk. It depends on the person. Transition Year is about becoming independent learners, not being hunted by teachers to hand in a homework assignment or do voluntary work. Transition Year is brilliant for local charities for example one school raised around €10,000 for many local charities by doing various activities.
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