Third Level Institutions Should be Encouraging Self-Esteem and Competitiveness

(3 March 2010, Order of Business, Edited Version)

I would be grateful for a debate on that issue of education. As somebody who teaches personal development in a third level college I recognise that when one is teaching self-esteem as part of the module one wonders if one fails one’s students will one be contributing to lowering their self-esteem.

I am also concerned about a dumbing down at second level which is putting third level institutions into a position where they must do a certain amount of remedial work at times. All of those issues must be considered.

They are important because we will pay the price in terms of our competitiveness if we do not get this right and when international and multinational companies start to sound warning notes, we must be worried. We must have a debate and I would be grateful if the Leader would arrange that.