Backing for maths change signalled

BONUS POINTS:THE MINISTER for Education and Skills has signalled her support for the return of bonus points for higher level mathematics in the Leaving Cert.

Speaking at the TUI conference in Ennis yesterday, Mary Coughlan acknowledged that young people were “doing the calculation” on the amount of effort required to study mathematics at higher level and the subject was losing out as a result. “Our young adults are smart people. They know the time and effort versus reward matrix associated with taking honours maths in the context of the CAO points system.”

The Minister did not indicate when the bonus points system might be introduced as she was awaiting the views of an expert group. “However, it is my view at this point that we could send a clear signal to our second-level student population with the introduction of a CAO points bonus for achievement in Leaving Certificate maths.”

The Minister expressed her support for Project Maths, the new Leaving Cert maths syllabus being piloted in 24 schools.

But she believed more needed to be done in the short term to attract students to higher level maths. “Ireland, to succeed in our ambition as the innovation island, must not be shy in targeting any skills gap we identify in our labour force. It is clear that maths is somewhere we could do better, so it is important that we embrace that challenge and take steps to right the situation,” she said.

The employers group Ibec welcomed the move and urged the Minister to facilitate the change at the earliest opportunity.

Paul Sweetman, director of ICT Ireland, the Ibec group representing the high-tech sector, said the reintroduction of bonus points “will send a clear signal to national and international industry leaders that Ireland is serious about developing a smart economy”.

Labour spokesman on education Ruairí Quinn also welcomed the announcement.

But TUI education and research officer Bernie Judge questioned the proposed measure: “TUI expresses concern at this potentially rash move, because a similar measure in the past failed to result in a significant increase in student uptake of the subject. We would rather that other more appropriate ways to address the problem, such as Project Maths, be utilised.”

Responding to the Minister’s address in Ennis yesterday, TUI president Don Ryan described as “stupid” the rhetoric of the smart economy in the context of the “systematic dismantling and destruction of public education in the last 18 months”.