MATHS:ENGINEERS IRELAND has welcomed the Minister for Education's support for bonus CAO points for honours maths, but says the method of teaching the subject must also change.
At the Teachers’ Union of Ireland conference on Wednesday, Mary Coughlan said the introduction of bonus CAO points for Leaving Certificate maths would send a clear signal to students of its importance.
She did not say when the bonus point system might be introduced, stating she was awaiting the views of an expert group.
John Power, director general of Engineers Ireland, the representative body for engineers in Ireland, said the problems around maths were complex and required fundamental changes to curriculum and teaching methodologies.
“The possible reintroduction of bonus points for maths is to be welcomed, but this is not enough in isolation,” he said.
There should be a requirement for teachers to have specific education qualifications in maths and the sciences to teach the subjects, as well as tax breaks for teacher retraining, and greater resources should be put into the Project Maths initiative, a new Leaving Certificate maths curriculum being piloted in some schools.
The American Chamber of Commerce, which speaks on behalf of US businesses in Ireland, also welcomed the Minister’s comments.
Joanne Richardson, chief executive of the group, highlighted the importance of maths and said a focus on rote learning could be continued, with fewer than 20 per cent of students taking higher-level maths, or a new approach could be sought.
“Project Maths has the potential to deliver a more focused learning experience . . . but while we are waiting for this course to be delivered into all schools, bonus points should help encourage more students to pursue higher level,” Ms Richardson said.
