Mr. Lee Reynolds:

On behalf of the Institute of Physics, I thank the Cathaoirleach and the committee members for the kind invitation to join them today. I am the co-head of the Ireland and Northern Ireland office of the IoP. This is the professional body and learned society for physics in Ireland and the UK. It plays an active role in promoting co-operation in physics around the world and we strive to make physics accessible to people from all backgrounds. We work to ensure physics improves the daily lives of us all and our future.

One of the aims of the IoP in Ireland is to support the development of the next generation of high productivity industries to create high-value jobs to create citizen's futures.

These goals align strongly with Government policy such as Industry 4.0, Impact 2030 and the climate action plan. These are goals that will not be fulfilled without skilled people from a strong education ecosystem.

How will we create that? We need to consider a child and the tale of two systems. In the first system, we have a child who attends preschool and primary school with a focus on the child's numeracy and literacy, which is the foundation for any future in physics and STEM. The value of curiosity is instilled. The child need not know the names or full terms for the science they do because what is important is that it is building their curiosity for more. Above all, under-represented groups will develop a resilient identification with science so they can feel that science is for them. All of this is delivered by teachers empowered by their training and ongoing professional development to deliver these well. At secondary school, the child is introduced to a broad physics curriculum. They have a teacher with a physics background in a well-equipped classroom. They are excited about the future careers and occupations that physics can lead to, both at technical and graduate level. In the tertiary level, they can choose an apprenticeship in the rapidly expanding physics-based industries or go on to graduate study with the supports available to ensuring as many pursue their studies as far as they can or enter teaching. At every stage, there is a culture of inclusion delivered by whole-school equity planning that is about broadening the future paths of the child not narrowing them to traditional pathways or stereotypical roles.

I now turn to our second system. At primary level, numeracy and literacy skills of the child are more determined by their background and the quality of the school they attend. Stereotypes around subjects and careers start to be drip-fed. Teachers only deliver the STEM elements with which they are comfortable. In secondary school, the child's first proper introduction to physics is limited, taught by a non-specialist teacher within a restrictive curriculum in an under-equipped classroom. Leaving certificate physics may not be available in the school or is presented as for certain groups, elitist, solely a graduate study pathway and with few career options. At tertiary level, the child will find their skills in high demand and with student debts, further study or teaching is the less financially attractive option.

How will the child's experience be characterised? One child said:

I did continue with physics and now hold a doctorate in physics, but looking back I can see how many people tried to dissuade me. When I decided to study physics in college, my mother would repeatedly ask me if I was sure. Neighbours and acquaintances - adults - would always say "physics - what will you get out of that?"

Another said, "I love physics but hated how I was made to feel during that class and that feeling transferred over to other classes like maths, for me." Another said, "I was the only girl in my class and during experiments the boys always took the lead and did everything." These are three real student experiences.

The contrast between this current system and the best possible system highlights what has to be done. Ireland does not have an education system for physics and STEM that is fit for purpose. The building blocks of what is needed are a primary curriculum with numeracy and literacy at its core and STEM elements that teachers are empowered to deliver; whole-school equity plans at every level to build a culture of inclusion to maximise the number and range of people pursuing physics; a secondary physics curriculum that demonstrates the breadth and relevance of the subject delivered by specialist teachers receiving continuing professional development; 21st century careers advice – a system that signposts the way to the exciting, varied and rewarding careers of today and keeps pace with the rapidly changing world of work; new and growing apprenticeship options; proper PhD support and CERN membership for Ireland; and supports to enter teaching. Let this committee’s work be the start of building a system that is fit for purpose.