President Michael D Higgins says he doesn't think children should have homework
In a wide-ranging interview with irish children, the president was asked for his thoughts on homework.
- 15:35, 20 JAN 2023
- Updated 11:44, 20 APR 2023
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President Michael D Higgins has called for homework to be banned.
End of homework
Higgins has suggested that school activities should end at the school gates.
A smile is likely to have cross children and teenagers' faces after the president of Ireland suggested that homework should be scrapped.
Higgins argued that getting rid of homework would allow young people more time to engage in creative pursuits outside of school hours.
Speaking on RTÉ's news2day programme for the occasion of its 20th anniversary, children were able to put questions to Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin.
Higgins was asked about his opinion on homework.
The president replied: "I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things."
This isn't the first time a political leader has sought to curry favour with future voters.
In March 2022, when then-Taoiseach Micheál Martin was isolating in the US during his St Patrick's Day visit, told the children of Ireland that they could have the day off homework if they did a kind deed.
Other questions for President Higgins
Other questions that the children asked the president included:
- What was your favourite sport when you were in school?
- When you were nine years old what did you want to be?
- When did you decide you wanted to be president?
- What is your favourite book?
The president was asked about his dogs, his official trips abroad, his favourite subject in school, the difference between his childhood and nowadays.
Higgins told the children he loved handball and spoke about the importance of friendship in their lives.
He encouraged the children to speak the Irish language.
A message to the children of Ireland
In a message to the children of Ireland and the viewers of RTÉ news2day, President Michael D. Higgins gave this advice: "Stay curious about everything and I think it's important to make sure you don't miss the joy of sharing information.
"I think an important thing is friendship and to make sure that there’s no one left without friendship and that people belong.
"And we will all do individual things... but I think friendships that you make will in fact always be great memories and that is so important.
"And also have the courage to stand your own ground and let other children be allowed the space of standing their ground too because none of us are the same.
"We're all unique but at the same time we have a lot going for us."
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President Michael D Higgins says homework should be banned in Ireland
The country’s favourite leader believes that school activities should end at the school gate and students should be encouraged to engage in more creative pursuits.
- 10:39, 21 JAN 2023
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President Michael D Higgins has called for homework to be banned.
The country’s favourite leader has given hope to a new generation of students that the bane of their afterschool evenings could be scrapped. President Higgins argues that this would make time for young people to engage in more creative pursuits outside school hours.
The former Arts Minister believes that school activities should end at the school gate. He was speaking to RTE’s news2day current affairs and news programme for children on the occasion of the programme’s 20th birthday.
Read more: Children being 'corrupted' by drug dealing situation in Oliver Bond flats, Dail told
When asked what his opinion of homework President Higgins said: “I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things.”
To mark the show’s two decades on air, students from St Kevin’s National School, Littleton, County Tipperary put questions from RTÉ news2day viewers to President Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin. In a wide-ranging interview, the children asked the President questions like, what was your favourite sport when you were in school?
When you were nine years old what did you want to be? And when did you decide you wanted to be President?
The students also asked the President about his dogs, his official trips abroad, his favourite subject in school, differences between now and when he was a child and his favourite book. The President also spoke to the children about his love of handball and the importance of friendship in their lives.
RTÉ news2day will broadcast some of the President’s interview as part of Friday afternoon’s birthday celebrations at 4.20pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ News channel and the full interview will be available later on Friday evening on the RTÉ Player. In a message to the children of Ireland and the viewers of RTÉ news2day, President Michael D. Higgins gave this advice: “To stay curious about everything and I think it’s important to make sure you don’t miss the joy of sharing information.
“And I think an important thing is friendship and to make sure that there’s no one left without friendship and that people belong. And we will all do individual things... but I think friendships that you make will in fact always be great memories and that is so important. And also have the courage to stand your own ground and let other children be allowed the space of standing their ground too because none of us are the same.
“We’re all unique but at the same time we have a lot going for us.” President Higgins also encouraged the children of Ireland to speak the Irish language.
He encouraged them to speak Irish in a fun way and to feel free to use whatever bits of the language that they have.
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Irish Mirror readers overwhelmingly back President's call for 'homework to be banned'
President michael d higgins has offered hope to a new generation of schoolchildren.
- 13:17, 23 JAN 2023
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Irish Mirror readers have almost unanimously agreed that homework should be scrapped for schoolchildren after a poll asked if the Irish president's call was warranted.
President Michael D Higgins called for homework to be banned in Ireland , offering hope for a new generation of students looking to take back their time after the school bell tolls.
The Irish Mirror put the question to the public in a poll within the article, which detailed his cry for young people to engage in more creative pursuits "outside of school hours."
Read More : President Higgins calls for homework to be banned in Ireland
We asked "Should homework be banned?", which was answered with a 98% majority, Yes.
In a landslide decision, 57,440 readers voted yes, while just 1,211 voted no.
If implemented, this new approach would mean that school activities would end at the gate, according to President Higgins, who made the call last week.
He was speaking to current affairs and news programme for children, RTE’s news2day on the occasion of the programme’s 20th anniversary on Irish television.
"I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things," the former Arts Minister told schoolchildren in attendance.
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