Mr. Barry Convey:

Maths is compulsory at primary level. Depending on a post-primary teacher's background, that will determine whether he or she is comfortable delivering science experiments or initiatives throughout the post-primary experience. Most students in primary schools nowadays have three or four teachers throughout their primary school experience. That will vary greatly in relation to the science that is delivered to them, and that is just referring to science.

From an engineering and technology point of view, the students we see coming to our open nights are not informed about the subjects. An opportunity is being missed to give them a full understanding and to develop their understanding. As Senator Pauline O'Reilly mentioned earlier, these students are picking subjects that will determine their career for the rest of their life at 11 and 12 years of age. If we do not expose them to what these subjects are about and their importance, students are not going to pick these subjects in post-primary school.