Higher level maths - Challenging but possible

THE University of Limerick is to be congratulated on its positive move to help more second level students take higher level maths.

Fewer than one-in-six students who got their results this week sat higher level maths. Last year one-in-five did. This ratio makes any suggestions about a knowledge-based economy fanciful.

UL has established a centre to help teachers develop skills and improve national maths and science performance. Higher level maths seems to have attracted an aura of impossibility that is not at all justified. Most committed students, if they have effective teachers, are capable of successfully completing the course. The UL initiative will help resolve the problem but the subject and the challenge needs to be re-branded as well.