20% of maths teachers studied something else

One in five second-level students is being taught maths by a teacher whose main area of study was in a different subject, research shows.

While they are all qualified teachers and some may be taking or have graduated from upskilling courses, the 20% of students in their second-year classes is significantly higher than average.

A report from the Educational Research Centre at Dublin City University said that, internationally, the average proportion of second-level students taught maths by someone whose main area of study was something other than maths was 13%.