Local representatives have raised serious concerns about rising fail rates in the leaving certificate mathematics exam.

Almost 6,000 students in Cork received their examination results yesterday (August 13) at schools across the city and county. While results obtained in most subjects this year were in line with results in previous years, some concerns were voiced about results in math and science.

Cork Senator Jerry Buttimer, a former teacher said that the high failure rates in ordinary and foundation-level mathematics , where more than 5,000 students failed, is a worry and is an indication that change is needed in the whole approach to examining and to teaching of the subject. This was echoed by Cork TD Deirdre Clune who urged the Minister for Education to take positive steps to address these concerns and to listen to advice offered by Fine Gael's Education Spokesperson Brian Hayes that every child in the classroom should be provided with a laptop and that government need to bring forward 'root and branch' reform of maths teaching and learning.

Responding to the concerns Education Minister Batt O' Keeffe said that plans are a foot to introduce a new math syllabus on a pilot basis in a number of schools across the country this September which will influence the way forward for the course.

Despite the concerns surrounding the math paper, one Cork school managed to achieve fantastic results in the mathematics exam. One higher level class at Christian Brothers College in Cork has been praised for managing to attain 24 A1s, 3A2s and 3 B1s in a class of 30 students. School principle Larry Jordon has praised the students and their teacher Anne Barry Murphy for the outstanding results.

Comments (1) »

christian brothers college
written by G.O, August 14, 2008

nice one

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