Formula to reverse decline of maths

IN his letter (October 7), Tony Proctor suggests religious influence in Irish schools may be the reason why there are problems with levels of mathematical attainment here.

I would suggest it is something more basic: when students fall behind, unless their parents can afford grinds, it can be difficult for them to catch up.

In Britain, prime minister Gordon Brown has announced that if children have fallen behind, they will receive one-to-one support.