Cutbacks directly affect take-up of subjects, say teachers

THE fall in numbers taking some Leaving Certificate subjects is a direct result of cutbacks in schools, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland has claimed.

There were 3.4% fewer candidates for physics in last June’s exams and almost 5% fewer took German than in 2010. ASTI president Brendan Broderick said these statistics strongly indicate that some schools have had to drop such subjects from their timetables.

The Leaving Certificate class of 2011 started their two-year preparation for exams in September 2009 with budget cuts affecting teacher numbers in second level schools, which previous surveys for the union had found was leading to some schools dropping minority subjects.