Curriculum change to tackle maths problem

THE only way to tackle worrying grades in maths is the long-term approach of a new curriculum which will not be examined in the Leaving Certificate for another three years, Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe insisted yesterday.

Despite calls for an overhaul of the way maths and science are taught, in the wake of poor uptake of science subjects and higher level maths again this year, he said the revised curriculum is the best way to change student interest.

The proportion of students who took higher level maths fell further this year to just 16.2% or less than one-in-six, down from almost 19% in 2005.