Good Luck to Leaving and Junior Certificate Students

I wish all of our students well for their Leaving and Junior Certificate examinations this week. As I know myself it is a stressful time for students and parents alike.

Its great to see the numbers taking Honours Maths at both Leaving and Junior Certificate - especially at Junior level as previously this was as low as 40%! Roughly half of those who take Honours at Junior level take Honours at Leaving Cert. So the rise to 60% taking Honours at Junior level will increase the numbers taking Honours at Leaving Cert by 50% and that appears to be happening.

I chaired the Engineers Ireland Task Force Report on Mathematics and Science at Second Level and was amazed at some of findings like the then lack of joined up thinking between Primary and Secondary education. Science is still not a compulsory subject at Junior Cert! The most revealing issue was the lack of qualified teachers at Junior Cycle level especially which is now being addressed.

The launch of the Engineers Ireland Task Force Report on the Education of Maths and Science at Second Level during Engineers Week Feb 2010 Aoibheann Ni Shuilleabhain Maths and Science Teacher, Dr Chris Horn then President of Engineers Ireland, Sarah Green Maths and Science Teacher, Eamon Prendergast Research Engineer Engineers Ireland and P J Rudden then Vice President of Engineers Ireland and Task Force Chairman

The two most exciting developments are the Project Maths initiative (promoting 'learning by understanding' and not 'learning by rote') and the complete reinvention of the Junior Cycle curriculum currently under way.

All of these developments are part of the Education focus of the new exciting EGA Strategy which is about to be launched in terms of our objectives to grow the Engineering Graduates Association for the benefit of graduates and UCD going forward. So watch this space.