Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Members on all sides of the House have been concerned with improving the standard of mathematics in this country. Based on the statements made this morning on "Morning Ireland" by Ms Catherine Lewis of Rathdown School and the Irish Mathematics Teachers Association, yesterday was not a great day for anyone. The House is united on this issue and has assisted the Minister, Deputy Quinn, and the Minister of State, Deputy Sherlock, with suggestions on how to improve standards in this regard. In the higher level mathematics leaving certificate examination that took place yesterday, question No. 8 was not doable. The 36° angle should have been 32.8° while the 124° angle should have been outside and not inside the triangle. This affected question No. 9, thereby demoralising the students, and this was a no-choice examination, in which one could not avoid the problematic question No. 8. Moreover, the Project Maths syllabus, which Senator Quinn has promoted strongly, was examined in 24 schools and I am informed that questions Nos. 5(b) and 5(c) were not on the syllabus. As for the ordinary level leaving certificate exam paper, question No. 6(a) on constructing an axial symmetry was not on the syllabus.

In the junior certificate, "-14" should have read "1-4" . We must get an adequate standard of mathematics teaching. There are unqualified mathematics teachers. We also need such an approach to the printing and proofing of examination papers.