Leaving Certificate results for 2011 that were announced yesterday (August 17th), which again showed poor standards in key areas such as maths and science, have highlighted the need for the system to be urgently reformed.

This is the message of the Irish Business and Employer's Confederation (IBEC), which stated these subjects will be vital to boosting the country's economy in the long term.

Head of education policy at the group Tony Donohoe said: "Business needs an education system that produces individuals who are adaptable, can think for themselves and have an appetite to learn. The current system fails to produce these skills".

Ten per cent of students who took ordinary level maths failed, the figures show, with around 4,300 individuals across all levels not gaining a passing grade.

Less than 16 per cent of students took the higher paper, IBEC noted, which means the majority of young people are automatically excluded from many science, engineering and technology degrees.

Mr Donohoe said while the introduction of Project Maths is a good start, the quality of teaching will be critical in providing pupils with an understanding of how the subject applies in the outside world.

Written by Donal Walsh
 

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