Quinn: Repeating exams should be considered

THE option of repeating the Leaving Certificate should be carefully considered by students who are disappointed with their results today, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has suggested.

As 57,532 of this summer’s exam students receive their results from the State Examinations Commission (SEC) today, the minister is likely to face tough questions over how to address continuing issues with maths. The number taking higher level maths has fallen again — to below 16% for the first time — and almost one-in-10 ordinary level maths students have failed again this year.

While pointing to more positive results in the results of nearly 2,000 students taking the pilot Project Maths programme aimed at making the subject more relevant, he noted that work is needed to increase numbers taking higher level maths.