Biology grows in Leaving Cert popularity but economics fails to prosper

Biology continues to grow in popularity but the dominance of financial issues in the news has failed to nurture interest in economics among Leaving Certificate students.

Although girls perform better in biology, boys make up most of the increased uptake of the subject in the last five years as shown in the latest chief examiner’s report on the subject.

It highlights the jump from 52% to 60% from 2009 to 2013 in the proportion of students who took biology papers. However, among almost 31,500 who did so last year, nearly 41% were boys — up from 36% in 2009.

The examiner’s report, published today by the State Examinations Commission, points to good and high standards of answering on the long questions at ordinary and higher levels, respectively. This, it states, suggests that the mandatory practical work is being done by students.

While evidence of comprehensive, in-depth coverage of the biology syllabus was presented at higher level, it was less evident at ordinary level and among less successful higher-level students. Just under 70% of higher level candidates got an A, B, or C (honours grades), but 8% got an E or worse (fail grades), both figures in line with previous years. However, at ordinary level, just 58.5% got honours and more than 13% failed.

The chief examiner reports a noticeable tendency to give responses to questions that were not asked, and that a lack of specific knowledge and inability to explain, interpret, and apply biological principles remains problematic.

The 4,632 candidates for Leaving Certificate economics was just under 9% of all who sat the exams — a proportion that has been unchanged for the past decade.

More than 80% of them took the higher-level exam last June, and almost three-quarters of those got honours grades, with 5% — almost 190 students — failing.

Among the 875 ordinary-level candidates, 76% got honours and there was a 7% fail rate, up slightly on previous years.

Despite a lack of increased uptake as economic matters dominated news and media in recent years, the chief examiner said there has been a welcome increase in understanding of the topic among those sitting the exams.

“As economic issues become more prominent in everyday life, an increasing ability of candidates to link economic theory to everyday situations is being observed,” the report said.

However, a minority of higher-level students may have been restricted in their choice of macroeconomics questions by the detail sought, particularly in cases where students had prepared a narrow number of specific topics, according to the report.