The Junior Certificate results published this morning show some encouraging trends in the problem area of science.
But failure rates in ordinary-level French and various technical subjects remain stubbornly high.
In a positive signal, 87 per cent of students opted to take the revised science curriculum, which is less bookish and more practical in its approach.
In all, some 78 per cent of students secured an honour (grade C or better) in higher-level science, slightly down on last year.
The honours rate in maths at higher level (77 per cent) was also slightly down on last year.
Approximately 7 per cent of students failed ordinary-level maths. In a repeat of the pattern at Leaving Cert, fewer students are taking maths at higher level in the Junior Cert; the number taking higher level was down by 2 per cent this year.
One of the most striking features of this year's results is the very high failure rate (14 per cent) in ordinary-level French. A similar percentage failed the exam last year.
Surprisingly, the percentage taking French (61 per cent) declined by three percentage points since last year.
In another surprising trend, the failure rate at higher-level French has increased to 7 per cent this year.
At ordinary level, failure rates were high in only a relatively small number of subjects. These included classical studies (36 per cent), metalwork (15 per cent), technical graphics (11 per cent), Spanish (9 per cent) and technology (7.5 per cent).
Last night, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin said she was delighted to see that a third of all science pupils are taking the subject at higher level.
"Hopefully, students will continue science subjects when planning their subjects for their Leaving Cert. It is also heartening to see an increasing number of students taking higher-level Irish at Junior Cert and doing well in it."
Meanwhile, Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, has called for the re-evaluation of the Junior Cert curriculum.
Its head of social and education policy, Tony Donohoe, said the exam puts too much emphasis on learning information off by heart and fails to develop the multiple intelligences of the child. The junior cycle programme, he said, should stimulate an appetite for learning.
The Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) president, Tim O'Meara, encouraged students to to stay in school and complete their Leaving Certificate. The union also urged parents, vintners and those in the off-licence trade to be vigilant in the coming days as students celebrate.
ASTI president Patricia Wroe expressed concern that many students who sat this year's Junior Cert exams regularly experienced overcrowded classes for the first half of their second-level education.
A survey of class sizes among third-year students in second-level schools, carried out this year by Drury Research on behalf of the ASTI, found that almost two-thirds of students are in classes of 25 students or more on a regular basis, and that 16 per cent are in classes of 30 students or more.
