One in five drop Higher Level Maths
Release date: Wednesday, 16 June 2010
One in five Leaving Certificate students drop from Higher Level to Ordinary Level Maths in the months leading up to the Leaving Certificate exam, according to a study of the teaching and learning of Maths published on the 9th June 2010.
The report was carried out by an industry education group with a mandate to report to Tánaiste and Minister for Education Mary Coughlan.
It says bonus points for Maths, if they are introduced, should incentivise these students to stick with Higher Level in the subject.
The report of the Project Maths Implementation Support Group says the feasibility of making Maths a mandatory subject for CAO points calculation should be explored.
The group also strongly endorses the new Project Maths syllabus, which is currently being piloted in 24 schools. And it says it should be rolled out as planned to all schools, supported by the necessary resources.
In a number of wide-ranging recommendations, the report also says schools should be required to teach Maths to all pupils every day and teachers should not discourage students from studying Higher Level Maths at Leaving Cert.
It also calls for a sustained programme of Maths training for primary school teachers.
To download the report by visit here.
Pictured in the above photo at the lauch of the report is Minister for Education and Science Mary Coughlan and Frank Turpin, Chair of the Minister's Project Maths Implementation Committee.