THE LOCAL community in Mallow in north Cork was yesterday praised by a senior Intel executive for its initiative in seeking to develop the area as the leading school district nationally in the teaching of mathematics and science.
Investment director of Intel Capital, Damien Callaghan, said the packages of initiatives drawn up by the Mallow Development Partnership in conjunction with third-level institutions were ambitious but achievable means of preparing the town for the smart economy. “The manner in which the local community is engaging with the third-level sector to position Mallow for the future is remarkable and innovative,” said Mr Callaghan at yesterday’s launch attended by Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation Batt O’Keeffe.
The project will mean all primary and secondary schools in the Mallow area partnered with the National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning which is based at the University of Limerick.
The collaboration with the development partnership will result in schools in the area receiving specialised and intensive inputs from the centre with the town becoming the incubation hub for new approaches to teaching science and maths.
Mallow Development Partnership chairman John McDonnell said the aim of the project was to create a workforce that is mathematics and science proficient as a foundation for the development of a future economic success based on knowledge intensive industries.
All three second-level schools and the seven primary schools in Mallow, together with the secondary schools in nearby Doneraile and Buttevant, will partner with the National Centre for Excellence, he said.
This means the schools will receive specialised inputs from the centre whose project officers will support research staff to run the four-year project with teachers.
