We need to ensure that our education system produces people who can think creatively and challenge established norms, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said yesterday.
Speaking on our development as a "knowledge society", Mr Ahern quoted the poet WB Yeats: "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."
He was speaking in St Muredach's college, Ballina, Co Mayo, at a ceremony to mark its centenary year. St Muredach's is the diocesan college of Killala's Catholic diocese.
"There has been much debate recently about the nature of the education that we provide, and the dangers of promoting rote learning and cramming. We have a fine education system, and one of its major strengths has been its ability to evolve to meet the changing needs of our society and economy. I know that St Muredach's itself has followed in the tradition of continually adapting to students' needs.
"Undoubtedly education has been one of the main engines driving the growth and development of this country."
He praised the Catholic Church for having "the vision to see that offering a good education to boys was one of the surest ways of securing for them a brighter future".
Some 7,000 students have passed through St Muredach's since it was established in 1906 with 57 pupils and eight teachers. Currently it has more than 400 pupils, with a staff of 32 teachers.
Yesterday Mr Ahern addressed the college's staff, students and its board of management.
The Bishop of Killala and patron of the college, Dr John Fleming was present, as was college president Fr Martin Barrett.
Next Friday the official centenary celebrations will begin when the Catholic Primate, Archbishop Seán Brady, will launch a history of the college by the late canon Martin Halloran.
