Hanafin backs change to maths courses

EDUCATION Minister Mary Hanafin has said she favours curriculum changes after growing numbers of students failing ordinary and foundation-level maths.

The 4,412 who failed ordinary level is slightly more than last year, but represents a 12% failure rate, compared to 11.5% both last year and in 2003.

With 5,500 having taken foundation level and more than 400 failing higher level, 18% of Leaving Certificate candidates are ineligible for most university and institute of technology courses, which have minimum maths requirements.