Maths shake-up targets younger students

STUDENTS will be encouraged to aim for higher level Leaving Certificate maths from their first days in second-level school, under proposals to radically reform how the subject is taught.

The plan being considered by policy advisers to Education Minister Mary Hanafin — who has asked for the issue to be a priority — also envisages new teaching methods and increased training for teachers.

There were further calls, last week, for an overhaul of the maths curriculum following some commentators’ anger about the higher level papers last Monday.