Weaknesses in the system will not be evident by Wednesday’s results.

Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire Deputy and former school principal, Mary Mitchell O ’Connor, has today (Monday) called for the Chief Examiner’s report on Project Maths, which is with the Department of Education and Skills, to be published without delay so that a full assessment of the effectiveness of the subject can be determined.

“There is a genuine fear that Project Maths will lead to our students being wholly unprepared for what lies ahead at third level, as pupils are not being taught basic mathematical concepts. This will lead to students having to play catch-up when they enter college or university which will have a corresponding negative impact on the reputation of our third level institutions.

“I have been informed by a corrector of the Leaving Certificate honours mathematics paper that in one of the 75 mark questions, based on the robotic arm, the marking system had to be changed drastically to reflect more a favourable outcome as the results were so dismal. This means that Wednesday’s examination results will not give an accurate indication of the weaknesses in the system but instead will show the same number of pupils failing, the same number passing and the same number getting As, Bs and Cs.

“Due to the recent changes in the Leaving Certificate curriculum, the amount of calculus being taught has been severely reduced. Vectors, matrices, sequences and series, differential calculus, integral calculus and equations have also largely been removed. Probability and statistics are now worth 50% of the marks on Paper 2 and for the first time ever, students are not being given a choice in the questions they answer. Furthermore, there are concerns over the adequacy of the training being given to Project Maths teachers which also has severe repercussions on student’s abilities.

“The below-average performance of our pupils, when it comes to mathematics, has to be addressed. We need to get to the root of why our children are not succeeding in this area. Concerns that Project Maths is not the answer but that it will eventually lead to lower standards cannot be ignored as this will impact significantly on students’ preparation for third level courses and will act as an impediment to the future development of Ireland’s knowledge economy.

“I have raised this issue in the Dáil with the Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, and will continue to keep in contact with him on the matter, expressing my concerns and those of a growing number of academics.

“I am calling on the Minister to ensure that the Chief Examiner’s report on Project Maths is published as early as possible so that a full and comprehensive assessment of where we are going can be determined, with any necessary changes being made as soon as is practically possible. ”

Fine Gael Dun Laoghaire TD, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has today (Wednesday) raised serious concerns with the Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, about the effectiveness of Project Maths. Deputy Mitchell O’Connor was speaking this afternoon during Topical Issues in the Dáil.

“I have serious concerns about the effectiveness of the Project Maths programme, which has been hailed as the answer to the below average performance of our teenagers in a subject that is so important for a wide range of careers in the IT, engineering and high tech sectors.

“Mathematicians have expressed grave misgivings about the radical changes which have been made to the Leaving Certificate maths paper. Most of the subject’s core elements – including calculus, vectors, matrices, sequences and series and difference equations – have been significantly reduced on the new paper. It’s also the first time pupils have to answer all questions on both papers, with no options.

“Third level institutions are acutely aware of these issues. The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies placed a recent advert in the Irish Times outlining that it is holding a calculus prep course for prospective students of maths, science, engineering and economics, due to the reduced amount of calculus being taught on the new curriculum.

“Experts from a number of colleges have expressed the view that Project Maths will have a negative impact on maths education. Their criticisms range from the subject matter of the course, to inadequately trained teachers and the fact that the project was introduced with undue haste. These arguments are difficult to dispute. There are also complaints that there was inadequate consultation before Project Maths was introduced, with claims that the Irish Maths Teachers Association was under represented.

“From my own observation of the paper, I would also like to highlight the fact that it poses particular difficulties for dyslexic students; a view expressed by other academics. I accept Minister Quinn’s comments that the introduction of Project Maths was intended to improve our students’ performance in the subject, but I fear it could be having the opposite effect. I also have concerns about the bonus points being awarded to those sitting the Higher Level Paper; achieving a D grade in Higher Level Maths, with the subsequent bonus points awarded, does not necessarily mean a student will be capable of studying engineering.

“The Minister has acknowledged that we have not found the solution to the maths issue, and that we need to continue to improve the way we tackle the problem. I would urge the Minister to take a fresh look at the Project Maths syllabus and seriously consider whether it is best serving our students, and our future graduates.”