Madam, - Your recent Editorial "Adding value to maths and science" (August 15th) stated many undeniable truths and asked many thought-provoking questions.
However, the question it failed to address is one I believe many parents ask themselves. That is: "Will a science degree translate into well-paid employment for my son or daughter?"
The Minister for Education and her advisers would do well to remember that, contrary to popular belief, all students to some degree are influenced by their parents' opinions, and if many parents are not convinced that science degrees are worth the effort - and are instead persuaded by vast amounts of anecdotal evidence that property, advertising, or retailing is where serious money is made - who or what will entice or attract students to science courses?
As you rightly point out, we need science graduates. But tinkering with bonus points or road shows will not convince students and parents that hard work will be rewarded with well-paid employment. - Yours, etc,
OLIVER GINTY, Nephin Road, Dublin 7.
Madam, - A radical restructuring of second-level science education is needed. Science subjects are by their nature practical. Every theory or hypothesis put forward is tested in the lab or in the field. All the text-books, teacher enthusiasm and class contact time are wasted unless students are in the lab doing science. Yet with a curriculum where students often do eight or even more subjects for the Leaving Certificate, there can be only the most rudimentary exposure to lab work.
Laboratories require management and equipment and chemicals need to be maintained and properly handled. But how many schools have a fully equipped physics, chemistry and biology laboratory with technical support to manage the lab?
Taking a class of teenagers into the laboratory is not for the faint-hearted. If we as educators and adults are not serious about giving adequate resources to the sciences in secondary schools how can we expect students to take these subjects? - Yours, etc,
Dr KEN BOYLE, Department of Environment and Planning, DIT Bolton Street, Dublin 1.