Yes we Khan: Entrepreneur pushes Ireland to be world leader in maths

Sean O’Sullivan is trying to turn Ireland into a world leader in science, technology, engineering and maths by redesigning the education system.

The tech entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den judge has sponsored the Department of Education’s implementation of a new programme, Mathletes, which is a stepping stone to introducing the Khan academy principles to Irish schools.

Mr O’Sullivan, who is putting up the cost of the prizes for the Mathletes programme as well as covering any costs incurred by the department, said: “There is a lot less resistance when you remove budgetary obstacles.”

He believes the Khan education system, which is based on peer learning, can increase students’ learning by 20% a year. “The Khan system means that the class no longer has to move at the pace of the slowest learner,” he said.

He says the implementation of mathletes.ie, which is a challenge from 5th class to junior cert year with over €10,000 in prizes, is a stepping stone to getting the Khan academy principles into schools.

“Ireland could be the first country in the world to adopt these principles. If Ireland does this it will be a leader and show the whole world that they are serious about science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

Mr O’Sullivan is one of the world’s biggest backers of the Khan academy, along with the Bill Gates and Google foundations.

The initiative was supported by junior minister Ciarán Cannon who was attending the young Irish Technology Leadership Group (ITLG) event at Shannon Airport. The event saw more than 700 students gather to imagine what the world will be like in 2064.

The president of ITLG, John Hartnett said Irish investors need to start taking the ideas of young people seriously. He said the Collison brothers, who founded Stripe, had to leave Ireland to get funding for their first company. “The Collisons started their first company at 16 but they couldn’t raise the finance in Ireland as investors didn’t take them seriously.

“In Silicon Valley they are taken seriously,” he said.

The winning presentation from Castletroy College, Co Limerick, won an all-expenses paid trip to Silicon Valley.