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THE PUBLICATION of Leaving Cert results this morning represents a landmark in the lives of more than 57,000 students. Although the exam’s importance is often overstated, it marks the end of second level education and the culmination of years of personal endeavour and development. Those who sat the Leaving Cert will make key decisions about their future lives and careers on the basis of the grades achieved. These choices will be more difficult as a result of the economic backdrop though the class of 2009 will be optimistic that the clouds will have cleared by the time they finish further education and training.

This year’s results confirm some depressing trends in the general areas of maths and science. The number taking higher-level maths has declined to just 16 per cent of students; clearly the perception persists that maths is too onerous and best avoided. The same image problem appears to afflict physics and chemistry; only 4,600 students take physics at higher level and just 6,000 take higher-level chemistry.