Sir John Major, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Ellen DeGeneres are but a few examples of those who have achieved great success without degrees. “We need to dispel the myth that higher education is the only route out of poverty…and redirect discussion and resources accordingly”. However, as Paul Dolan deftly argues in his book “ Happy Ever After” we need alternative and better narratives for those who don’t wish to pursue this path.
The increased earning prowess of graduates, positive impact of universities on economic growth and social mobility created by higher level education are clear. Similar trends have been observed in the US and UK. Those with third level education increased from 13.6% in 1991 to 42% in 2016. While third level education undoubtedly brings great benefits and should be valued - no one path will ever be suitable or desirable to all.Ĭensus data shows Ireland is more educated than ever. Not least, if a school’s performance is purely based on conversion to third level, does this by default imply students who don’t pursue that path are under-performing in life? I wonder what pressure this rationale might create for young people to conform to prescribed life narratives and career tracks - versus pursuing their passions and what makes them happy. This one size fits all approach raises many questions. The higher that percentage, the higher the school’s ranking. The ranking of an individual school is purely based on the percentage of students that continue to third level education. In my view, this is particularly evident in current discourse around progression to third level education.īoth the Sunday Times and Irish Independent publish reports annually ranking the top secondary schools in Ireland. They then follow the board through very traditional life paths – marriage, kids, even mid-life crises! The player with the most money at the end is deemed the winner.Īlthough the Game of Life was first developed in the mid 1800s, society today still subscribes to many of the traditional narratives it promotes as to what constitutes success in life.
Players must choose whether to start college or immediately begin their career. This always reminds me of the first move in the classic “Game of Life” board game (pictured above). With the release of Leaving Certificate and A-level results this week, young adults across Britain and Ireland will grapple with one of their first major life decisions - whether to progress to third level education or to pursue an alternative path.
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