Poor teachers ‘a factor’ in maths exam failure rate

THE tiny number of teachers who are sacked for poor performance is a factor in the low standards and high failure rate in Leaving Certificate maths, the head of a leading software firm has suggested.

David O’Meara, chief executive of Havok, which develops software for computers and gaming, said the difficulty finding Irish graduates with suitable levels of maths and physics is a significant problem.

Around one-third of the company’s 100 employees work in Ireland, but further development work could be done here with more suitably-qualified staff.

The company provided technology for blockbusters like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter.

“The Government can ensure that schools and teachers are held accountable at second level for the quality of teaching these subjects,” Mr O’Meara told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland radio programme.

“Government can ensure that the curriculum is more focused on problem-solving than it currently is because we know that young people are attracted to subjects where they respect and believe in the competence of teachers. We’re falling down in this area and it needs to be addressed,” he said.

A revised curriculum for second-level maths is being rolled out from this year but will not be examined in the Leaving Certificate until 2012.

Mr O’Meara said the Department of Education has told him that less than a handful of maths or physics teachers have been let go for poor performance in the last five years.

“Teaching is a profession which should be held in esteem but we know by looking at the fact that there’s a significant failure rate in maths that’s unacceptable. A second fact is that very few teachers are held accountable by being let go,” he said.

Teachers’ Union of Ireland education and research officer Bernie Judge said it is unfair to suggest that the problem lies solely with bad teachers.

“That shows no understanding of what goes on in classrooms and how the exams operate. But hopefully the new curriculum, once it is resourced properly with teacher training, will help address some of the difficulties getting young people interest in maths.”