Wednesday, 17.12.2008
Training needed to reverse maths decline

GREATER training for teachers and parents is needed to help reverse falling standards in maths that are affecting the country's economic development, experts have recommended. A report to Government on raising achievements in maths makes clear that the Project Maths initiative being piloted in second-level schools this year will not be enough to address employers' concerns. They have expressed concerns about the numbers with high levels of maths for science, engineering, technology and financial services sectors, but workers in retail and other low and medium-skilled jobs are also required to have certain maths proficiency.

The proportion of Leaving Certificate students taking higher level maths has remained below one-in-five in recent years, and around 4,400 people - or 12% of those who sat it - failed at ordinary level last summer.

The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) report to Tánaiste and Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Mary Coughlan said that boosting the level of our maths capability would help ensure opportunities for employment growth could be fully realised. While Irish teenagers usually perform mid-table in maths performance compared to those in other developed countries, the group recommends a number of strategies to improve our standing and particularly to encourage more young people to take higher level Leaving Certificate maths.

These include initiatives to enhance and assess the quality of maths teaching at second level and greater support for weaker pupils with maths at primary level.
"Such early intervention could help reduce the significant numbers of those who go on to fail maths in the Leaving Certificate," the report states.

It encourages development of the links between primary and second-level teachers on easing the move by pupils between schools, which are being developed under the Project Maths scheme being introduced in all schools by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment from September 2010.

"We must build and complement the significant developments under way with Project Maths, our proposals should be seen as part of a broad set of measures that need be implemented in a coordinated way to improve national maths achievement," said EGFSN chairperson Ann Heraty.

The group has suggested greater support for parents in their key role of encouraging their children's engagement in maths from pre-school onward despite many parents not feeling proficient enough, or having negative impressions of the subject based on their own experiences.

It recommends that schools could provide parents with short instruction sessions on appropriate levels of mathematical concepts and learning.

Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland president Pat Hurley said Project Maths and initiatives recommended by the expert group would only work if the proper resources are given, but the commitment in last year's Programme for Government to reduce class sizes for maths has not been honoured.

ICT Ireland, the employer group for the high-tech sector, welcomed the expert group recommendations.