Ms Moira Leydon:

Good afternoon. I thank the committee for the invitation. I always preface my remarks in this area by saying how much we value the opportunity to talk to our legislators and policymakers. It is not something we ever take for granted. The type of dialogue we have is central to good policymaking. I will not go into much detail. I want to refer to a number of key concerns of the ASTI. The committee has received a more substantive submission. I am a great believer in starting with what is working well. Unlike many other OECD and EU countries, maths and science are practically compulsory subjects. Maths is compulsory and the uptake of science is compulsory in all but name in the junior cycle. That is a strong foundation. We all know there are debates in England about making sure every student over 16 receives mathematics education. Mathematics is compulsory for all of our students right up until school leaving.

The OECD Pisa report shows that our 15-year-olds are consistently among the highest performers in maths and science. Significantly, we are not just high performers overall but the percentage of our students deemed to be low achievers is much lower compared with elsewhere, at 17% compared with the OECD average of 23%. These trends provide what one would see as a strong knowledge base or uptake of STEM. However, there is significant concern that the targets being set in the national STEM plan are not being met. Two key targets apply to second level. The first is the target to increase by 20% the uptake of leaving certificate chemistry, physics, technology and engineering subjects and to increase by 40% the uptake of STEM subjects by females. I am afraid the news on that is not so good. Regarding gender targets, progress was made on the number of female students taking STEM subjects in the junior cycle in 2019. The number of girls taking technology at junior cycle increased by 30%, while there was a 40% increase in technical graphics, 25% in metalwork, and 41% in technology. I do not wish to blind the committee with figures. I am saying there has been significant progress in the gender dimension at junior cycle.

The problems, however, start when we come to senior cycle. That is fundamental and we need to look at this. It relates to investment priorities and decisions at national and at school level. Some 94% of boys' schools provide biology, physics and chemistry at senior cycle, compared with only 82% of girls' schools. Similarly, the percentage of girls' schools offering a STEM subject other than maths or science is 68%, compared with 95% of boys' schools.

The ASTI would make the point that investment in education is a key factor, because if there are not enough teachers in the system, schools cannot offer subject choice and they certainly cannot engage with the pathways to which Mr. Paul Crone from the National Association for Principals and Deputy Principals adverted, which is part of the redevelopment of the senior cycle.

We have been here before to talk about guidance counselling in education. One fundamental dimension of equality in education at second level is making sure that, from the moment students enter second level education, they have that scaffolding, nurturing, pastoral care and guidance about and consequences of subject choice from the very start. At the moment, the allocation ratio means that a school of 500 pupils will get a person in the post for 18 hours. The typical teacher's post is for 22 hours a week. A school of 500 pupils is allowed a guidance counsellor for 18 hours, which is not a full post. That increases to 26 hours, which is a teacher and a quarter, for a school of 700. Our guidance system needs massive investment. We acknowledge the Department has put in place innovative, out-of-field training programmes for teachers in physics and chemistry, which is welcome. We need to keep up that because it is critical.

I will conclude on this point. An interesting dimension of STEM education in Ireland which is remarked on internationally, including at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, is what we call enrichment activities, including at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, SciFest, the Spider Awards, and so on. These are great. They are not just confined to transition year, which is important. As the trade union representing teachers, we would make the point that for these to be successful, they should be integrated into the curriculum rather than being just little add-ons in which children with cultural capital, in particular, can engage. We need to have teachers with the time to engage in this type of planning.

I have gone on a bit. I thank the committee. I wanted to capture some of the typical trade union demands, which are for investment, support for the work of our schools, and to follow on the good policy advice, which is already available to the State.