A NEW study has shown "disturbing evidence of under-achievement by a relatively large body of students" in both the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate exams, according to the Government's curriculum council.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment's observation is contained in a commentary on a major study, soon to be published, of the students who took the 1994 Junior Certificate and the 1996 Leaving Certificate.
Among the issues raised by the study, the NCCA highlights "the high level of under-achievement (failure rates) at Ordinary level in the Leaving Certificate, especially in subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology and history, and the way in which under-achievement at Junior Certificate tends to be further accentuated at Leaving Certificate . . ."
The NCCA said that the "extent of low performance" found by the study in the Leaving Certificate was high. At Higher level, more than 10 per cent of candidates obtained low grades (less than 40 per cent) in nine subjects, including four science subjects.
At Leaving Certificate Ordinary level, more than 10 per cent of candidates obtained low grades in 20 subjects. Chemistry, physics and biology had failure rates of between 19 and 34.5 per cent. "Such levels of underachievement in the sciences have serious implications for national policy, which aims to promote science and technology to meet the needs of an expanding economy", it concluded.
The NCCA noted that "even able students, as shown by their Junior Certificate overall performance score, under-achieved in these subjects". Gender differences were also evident, with more boys obtaining low grades than girls."
It urged consideration of "a greater variety of activity and task-based teaching methods . . . with a view to making lessons more stimulating and relevant".