Leaving Cert results reflect rising interest in agricultural science

A RISING interest in agricultural science was reflected in the Leaving Certificate examination results released yesterday.

Nearly 40% of the agricultural science students who sat the Higher Level paper achieved a B3 grade or higher.

Agri Aware chair Mairead Lavery who congratulated all students, said nearly 500 extra students studied the subject this year.

“It is very good news that agricultural science is now viewed by students not only as a valid science subject but one they are interested in learning more about,” she said.

Ms Lavery said Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe is very eager to push the science subjects. However, students are still learning from a curriculum that is 40 years old and severely out of date.

Irish Agricultural Science Teachers Association (IASTA) president John Crone said the 2009 paper was a fair exam.

“Overall students are very happy with their results. The exam was very reasonable and nothing strayed too far from the curriculum,” he said.

However, Mr Crone said the Ordinary Level option is simply too difficult for students. There were virtually no A1’s at that level again this year. The Exam Commission must identify that this exam is simply too challenging. Similarly, although a high level of B’s and C’s were achieved at Higher Level, the rate of A1’s is down on last year.

“Although 5.7% of Higher Level students got an A1, this is still down compared to other science subjects such as chemistry, where 12% of students have achieved this goal,” he said.

Mr Crone said Mr O’Keeffe is encouraging students to pursue careers in the science subjects. However, if marks remain limited, this will deter students.

The rise in Central Applications Office (CAO) applications to study agricultural science at third level is expected to have a significant effect on the offers which come out next Monday.

Macra president Michael Gowing congratulated all those who received their Leaving Certificate results.