Intel Ireland, one of the State's largest employers, has warned that dwindling interest in science at schools could jeopardise the future growth of high-tech industries in the Republic.
In a submission seen by The Irish Times the company says it has "viewed with alarm" the declining interest in physics and chemistry, especially at Leaving Cert level. It says this has caused drop-out rates at third level to rise and points for technical courses to fall sharply.
"These trends must be reversed if we are to sustain and grow the vibrant high-tech industries that have contributed to our strong economy."
The company's submission has been made to the Government Taskforce on the Physical Sciences, which is due to report to the Minister for Education, Dr Woods, early in the new year. It will suggest a range of reforms to re-ignite interest in the sciences.
The submission outlines a range of shortcomings in the way science is taught and delivered in schools here. It also says: "Our society does not value engineers and applied scientists in the same way as doctors and lawyers." It adds that the Republic has no national scientific heroes.
This is the first time an employer on the scale of Intel has highlighted the failures of science in schools. A Department of Education source last night said the submission, when it was passed from the taskforce, would be studied by the Department.
The submission says the school curriculum, especially in chemistry, does not use enough "exciting examples" from the various high-tech industries set up in Ireland to spark the interest of students.
In line with criticisms from other bodies, Intel says the "excitement of hands-on laboratory work" in not available to many second-level students.
It points out there is no practical assessment at Leaving Cert level in what are "essentially practical subjects".
This absence has been criticised by many educational interests, but Intel's intervention is likely to further increase pressure on the Department of Education.
Intel says at Junior Cert level there is a bias in the curriculum towards biology, which means students tend to stay with this subject at Leaving Cert level.
"Few, if any, trained chemists or physicists are entering the teaching profession," it adds.
The perception of students is also a problem the Government needs to tackle, says the submission.
In relation to chemistry and physics it says: "Students perceive these subjects as having long curricula, requiring more work than other subjects."
The submission adds: "Marking of chemistry and physics is seen as tough, a fact confirmed when compared with subjects such as geography."
The author of the submission, Mr Frank Turpin from Intel's education group, who represents IBEC on the taskforce, said Intel's future was based on getting people who have higher level physics and chemistry at Leaving Cert level.
He said most of these take a third-level qualification after school, but it was important there was a large group of them available for universities and institutes of technology (ITs), and consequently for companies such as Intel.
Intel employs about 4,000 people at its various plants in Leixlip, Co Kildare. Mr Turpin said the biggest problem with science in Irish schools was an outdated curriculum.
"What we need taught in schools is applied science, not science that does not change or take account of what goes on in industry or the workplace," he said.
A submission to the taskforce has also been made by the heads of science at the ITs.
It suggests the ITs should play a major role in the science education technical support centre, which has been proposed by the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Science.
It says one member of staff from each of the ITs should be assigned to work full-time at the centre.
The teachers' unions have already made submissions to the taskforce, which is chaired by the former president of DCU, Dr Daniel O'Hare.