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13/08/2008
Concern Over Falling Interest In Maths
With the results of the Leaving Cert announced on Wednesday, business and opposition leaders are growing concerned over the continued falling performance in maths.
Almost 5,000 candidates failed maths in the Leaving Certificate, ruling them out of a raft of third-level courses.
The problem is being compounded by the simultaneous decrease in students studying science.
Fine Gael's Education & Science Spokesman, Brian Hayes TD, said the results in maths and science subjects have confirmed disturbing trends.
Mr Hayes added there was little doubt that Ireland's future economic development is being put at risk by the lacklustre uptake in these subjects and that the Government has failed to get a grip on the problem.
"The results have, once again, highlighted disturbing trends in maths and science areas. Only 17% of students, 8,510, taking Mathematics chose to sit the Higher Level Paper and this low level of uptake is of serious concern", said Mr Hayes.
The TD added: "Alongside this, one in eight students taking Ordinary Level Mathematics did not pass, a statistic that is identical to the numbers not passing in 2006 and 2007.
"This shows that the Government has made zero progress in promoting this vital subject."
However, not every student had bad news. One student at Intermediate School in Killorglin, Co Kerry achieved nine A1s in this year's exam.
A total of 13 students got eight A1s throughout the country and three students at CBC Sydney Hill in Cork got eight A1s with four schools in Dublin having students who also got eight A1s.
After years of falling numbers, there was a small increase of 55,000 in the number of candidates who sat the Leaving Certificate exam this year.
(DW)
Almost 5,000 candidates failed maths in the Leaving Certificate, ruling them out of a raft of third-level courses.
The problem is being compounded by the simultaneous decrease in students studying science.
Fine Gael's Education & Science Spokesman, Brian Hayes TD, said the results in maths and science subjects have confirmed disturbing trends.
Mr Hayes added there was little doubt that Ireland's future economic development is being put at risk by the lacklustre uptake in these subjects and that the Government has failed to get a grip on the problem.
"The results have, once again, highlighted disturbing trends in maths and science areas. Only 17% of students, 8,510, taking Mathematics chose to sit the Higher Level Paper and this low level of uptake is of serious concern", said Mr Hayes.
The TD added: "Alongside this, one in eight students taking Ordinary Level Mathematics did not pass, a statistic that is identical to the numbers not passing in 2006 and 2007.
"This shows that the Government has made zero progress in promoting this vital subject."
However, not every student had bad news. One student at Intermediate School in Killorglin, Co Kerry achieved nine A1s in this year's exam.
A total of 13 students got eight A1s throughout the country and three students at CBC Sydney Hill in Cork got eight A1s with four schools in Dublin having students who also got eight A1s.
After years of falling numbers, there was a small increase of 55,000 in the number of candidates who sat the Leaving Certificate exam this year.
(DW)
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Concern Over Maths Leaving Cert Results
This years Leaving Cert results are in, but for many math students, the day will be tainted as high failure rates in the subject have become the main talking point. Some 4,300 students failed the maths exam, while failure rates in science subjects at both higher and ordinary level were far higher than in other subjects.
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Ireland WeatherToday:A mainly dry day with variable amounts of cloud and some bright or sunny intervals. Chance of the odd shower, especially in the south this afternoon. Warm across western counties. Maximum temperature 20 °C.Tonight:Some late sunshine this evening. Otherwise a cloudy night with patchy rain spreading west, becoming drier later on. Low and fog patches developing in the early hours. Minimum temperature 12 °C.
