Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

Decisions on the award of points and admission criteria for entry to higher education programmes are, under legislation, a matter for the higher education institutions. My Department asked the Higher Education Authority to initiate a discussion across higher education institutions regarding the desirability or otherwise of awarding bonus points. The overall view emerging was that the introduction of bonus points was unlikely to dramatically increase uptake of higher level maths.

The report of the Points Commission in 1999 considered the issue of bonus points and advised against such an approach on the grounds that it would lead to a narrowing of the range of subjects taken by students, create pressure on students to make early career choices, give rise to equity issues where the subject was not available and lead to distortions in third level access and provision. When bonus points were removed in 1994 on foot of curricular reform, participation in higher level maths increased. Curriculum reform has more impact than points in this area.

I recently launched a major initiative, Project Maths, designed to encourage better understanding of maths, reinforce the practical relevance of maths to everyday life, and ensure better continuity between primary and second level and junior and senior cycle. The initiative started in 2008 and is being piloted in 24 schools. The curriculum changes will be phased in over three years and mainstreaming in all schools will begin in 2010, prefaced by a national programme of professional development for teachers beginning in 2009. The changes under Project Maths are proceeding simultaneously at junior and senior cycle to allow for optimum progress in implementing the reforms. The reforms are also designed to encourage greater uptake at higher level.

Project Maths will be supported by intensive investment in professional development for teachers. A mathematics support team has been appointed and is currently supporting the project schools, as well as preparing for mainstream in-service development which will start in September 2009, followed by mainstream implementation starting in September 2010. Some €3 million has been provided for the programme in 2009 and the investment will continue over a number of years, to at least 2013, in a rolling programme of reform.

Education provision must cater for all students, and placing some subjects at a higher value, notwithstanding the importance of other disciplines, and the abilities, interests and legitimate choices of students, could potentially be counterproductive.

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