Minister reveals formula to tackle maths problem

THE crisis in maths grades is best addressed with the gradual introduction of new subject material instead of a panicked reaction, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe has insisted.

He has set a target of almost doubling the number of Leaving Certificate students taking higher level maths through changes to the curriculum over the next few years.

But in response to the latest Leaving Certificate results, which show a further increase to 12% in the proportion of ordinary level maths candidates who failed the exam, he said it is important to get measures in the pilot Project Maths system right. More than 4,400 ordinary level students did not pass, while barely over one-in-six took the higher level paper.