I read with interest, and some frustration at the hubris it contained, the letter (‘Teachers against the Junior Cycle’, October 23) jointly written by Phillip Irwin and Gerry Quinn (presidents of the teaching unions ASTI & TUI respectively).

I AM delighted that we are now at the point where we can mark the 50th anniversary of the BT Young Scientist this year.

YESTERDAY’S publication of the latest report from the OECD on the performance of 15-year-old students in reading, maths, and science has some very welcome news for Ireland.

Irish students have been ranked among the brightest in the world, according to new figures from the OECD.

Irish people may be in the throes of austerity with wages little more than the OECD average, but we are some of the most satisfied people.

The gap between the reading skills of the country’s richest and poorest students widened during the last decade, figures reveal.

STUDENTS from poorer backgrounds may suffer most from a budget cut that could see schools reduce guidance counselling next year, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) will warn today.

Minister for Education and Skills Ruairi Quinn announced a new strategy to ensure that every pupil has mastered literacy and numeracy before finishing secondary school. “No child should leave school unable to read and write and use mathematics to solve problems,” the minister stated.

IRELAND has improved its grade when it comes to students’ ability to read computer-based text — but the level is behind that of a decade ago.

Irish students have scored eighth out of 19 countries participating in a new OECD study on digital literacy.

SUCCESS in tackling early school-leaving may be a factor in Ireland’s recent drop in average reading and maths standards.

WHILE girls are more likely to pick up a book or chat about a recent read to their pals, boys turn to the internet more than girls to find news or look up information on a particular topic.

IRELAND’s ambitions to be seen as a smart economy have suffered a serious setback as the reading skills of teenagers here have fallen more than in any other developed country in the last decade.

Education Correspondent Niall Murray says Mary Coughlan is a firm believer that overhauling teacher training rather than cutting class sizes is key to reversing falling literacy and numeracy standards.

EFFORTS to improve student attitudes to science will remain unsuccessful unless reforms in teaching and out-of-school activities are increased, research has suggested.

FAILURE to highlight practical applications of maths in class could be hindering the performance of Irish teenagers in international tests, according to a study published this week.

CHILDREN from poor families are no more likely to miss school regularly than other children.

THE reading skills of young Irish people is improving, a research document has found.

IRISH teenagers are among the best at reading in the developed world, according to an international survey.