Maths and science curriculum ‘not good enough’ finds expert report

The maths curriculum being taught in schools here is leaving students without the basic skills for the higher- level paper and unprepared for entering third-level education, an expert report has found.

The report, to be launched by Education Minister Richard Bruton today,also says computer science, including coding, should be introduced as a Leaving Certificate subject adding that “this is critical to address the ICT deficit in Ireland”.

The report has been compiled by the STEM Education Review Group (STEMERG) which was established in 2013 to review science, technology, engineering, and maths education and make recommendations on any deficits.

STEMERG was led by Professor Brian MacCraith of DCU, and included experts in STEM education as well as industry figures from the likes of Intel and IBM.

Today’s report reveals, what the authors say, is a “consistent finding across national and international tests of attainment that primary and post-primary students find items assessing higher-order thinking skills particularly difficult”.

It says that is true for both mathematics and science.

The authors say that while the percentage of students taking higher-level maths at Leaving Certificate level has increased significantly (from 16% in 2011 to 28% in 2016) since the introduction of bonus CAO points, “there are serious concerns about the ‘mathematical under-preparedness’ of students entering third level and about the lack of basic skills of some students sitting the higher level paper”.

In the science sphere the report expresses concern that the majority of science teachers have a biology qualification, more than three times as many as for physics. Furthermore, it said there was a strong imbalance in the number of students taking biology — over four times more than those taking chemistry and over five times more than those taking physics.

STEMERG made a number of recommendations including:

• The development of specialist STEM teachers (‘STEM Champions’) in primary schools. “The ‘STEM Champion’ should hold a recognised postgraduate qualification (eg in mathematics education, science education, technology education, STEM education).”
• All STEM teaching in post-primary schools should be delivered by qualified STEM teachers, and the imbalance in the proportions of teachers qualified in biology, physics, and chemistry should be addressed as a matter of urgency.
• The career possibilities for students who follow a STEM career path should be highlighted, not only to students but also to parents.
• The introduction of computer science including coding as a Leaving Certificate curriculum subject.

“Our aim as a nation should be to ensure that STEM education in Ireland is of the highest international quality,” the authors say. “The overall levels of performance and engagement in STEM subjects are not good enough if we aim to provide the best for our nation’s children and if we wish to attain our economic ambitions for the future. A step-change in STEM performance and outcomes is required throughout the educational system if we are to move our STEM education performance up to the highest levels.”

Of the 47 recommendations, the minister said he has identified 21 for initial priority implementation. He is due to publish a “STEM Education Policy Statement” in the first half of 2017.