The teaching of maths needs to be addressed at primary and early secondary level

Bonus points only part of the solution

Fine Gael Seanad Education Spokesperson, Senator Fidelma Healy Eames, today (Wednesday) said the issues surrounding the number of Leaving Cert students who are failing, not just honours but pass maths in their Leaving Cert. exam has to be tackled much earlier if we are to turn around the number of students who are performing so poorly in the subject.

“We can continue to bemoan maths standards as happens every year at this time or Minister Coughlan can address the issue with concerted action. While Project Maths is to be welcomed, much more is needed. If there is to be any chance of nipping this issue in the bud, we have to address the reasons why so many students are having difficulty with the subject from an early stage. The attitude of the student to maths is absolutely critical. A negative or fearful attitude doesn’t come about only when a student reaches senior cycle. It is well and truly embedded from primary and early secondary levels.

“Today’s Leaving Cert results saw a marginal decline in the number of students failing pass maths from 10.4% to 9.8%. That’s still one in every ten students who are failing to get above the 40% mark in an ordinary level paper.

“This is a shocking statistic and one that we have to take in hand as a matter of urgent priority. We cannot wait until students are entering into the senior cycle and hope that the promise of bonus points will, on its own, solve all the problems. This crisis begins much earlier and teachers across the country are at pains to recount stories of students entering into secondary school who are incapable of tackling even the most basic mathematical problems such as fractions, basic tables and decimals, in which a ten year old should be proficient.

“How we teach maths in primary and early secondary school has to be critically examined. By the time children reach the junior cycle they are either turned on, or completely turned off maths. We must ensure that no child, that is able, leaves primary school without having a firm grasp on the fundamentals. For example, before calculators are introduced, they should first be able to solve the mathematical problems independently.

“Early secondary level presents an important window of opportunity for the learning of maths. This is where it is absolutely critical that the very best and most competent teachers are available to the students. A recent UL report showed that this is not the case. Minister Coughlan must address this issue now if she is to convince us that she is paying more than lip-service to this problem. Nothing is more important that a teacher who is excited about and interested in their subject.

“Only when we have a larger cohort of students achieving maths proficiency at Junior Cert level (Honours), will the introduction of bonus points make a difference at Leaving Cert. Undoubtedly more higher level maths students are needed in Ireland to kick-start the knowledge economy we so badly need. Allowing a system, which sees 10% of students failing ordinary level maths, to go unchecked absolutely never will.”