Science uptake pleases O’Keeffe

JUNIOR CERTIFICATE maths and science grades will provide welcome relief for the government and business as more than 56,000 students receive their results this morning.

Almost four in five higher level maths students got an honours grade (A, B or C), and the proportion taking higher level is up slightly on last year — but still less than half of all candidates. The numbers who failed at higher or ordinary level are down on previous years, following disappointing increases in maths fail rates in Leaving Certificate results last month.

Junior Certificate science exams produced an honours grade for 79.1% of the 33,565 students who took higher level, up slightly on last year.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe was encouraged that more than 87% of students took science, more than two-thirds of them taking higher level.

“The practical assessment elements, which account for up to a third of marks, take pressure off students during the final exam. I hope students will continue with science subjects when planning their subject choices for their Leaving Certificate,” he said.

The Irish higher level paper was attempted by 46% of those sitting the subject, up from 45% last year and just 43% in 2006. Although there were fewer honours grades, the uptake should also be encouraging for those trying to get young people more interested in the subject.

The 47,959 who sat Irish exams in June is down from 50,871 in 2006, but the fall may reflect a rising number of international students in second-level schools not obliged to take the subject.

The results in 26 subjects will be given to 56,023 students in schools around the country today, down just over 2% on last year.

State Examinations Commission (SEC) chairman Richard Langford sent special congratulations to the 1,289 re-entrants to education getting their results, who have returned to learning through the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme, Back to Education Initiative and other programmes.

Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland president Pat Hurley said students should see their results as an affirmation of their individual progress through second level and a guide for decisions about future goals.

“Every student is different and behind every set of results is a unique person with a range of abilities and potential and their whole life in front of them,” said Mr Hurley.

He also welcomed the efforts of parents, students, teachers and others to organise alcohol-free celebratory events for those who are getting their results today.

“Students have reason to celebrate their achievements but nobody wants the celebrations to end in tragedy,” he said.

While most students will collect results at school this morning, candidates can also access their results online from 4pm through the SEC website, examinations.ie.

Employers’ group IBEC called for radical reform of the Junior Certificate, claiming the curriculum fosters negative attitudes towards particular subjects and discourages many from continuing in the formal education system.

IBEC’s senior policy executive Siobhan Masterson said: “Society and business need a system that produces individuals who are adaptable, can think for themselves and have an appetite to learn.

“The Junior Certificate, which is assessment and output focused, fails to produce these skills which are now critical for the knowledge economy,” said Ms Masterson.