The Minister for Education and Science has expressed concern at the falling numbers taking Leaving Certificate science subjects, and has asked for the early introduction of new syllabuses in physics and chemistry.
Department of Education sources said yesterday Mr Martin views tackling the problems of teaching science as his No 1 priority in reforming the traditional Leaving Certificate exam.
He is planning a nationwide initiative to refurbish second-level school science laboratories over the next two to three years. He wants to ensure, for example, that every school laboratory has a computer; very few have one now.
Mr Martin wants to start training teachers for the new physics and chemistry syllabuses next year, and to begin introducing the courses in schools in 2000. Universities have reserved places on their higher diploma courses for trainee physics and chemistry teachers in the coming academic year.
In his statement congratulating the 64,000 students who today receive their Leaving Certificate results, the Minister noted the increased number of students taking higher-level Irish, and expressed satisfaction at the increase in grade Cs or higher grades in higher-level Irish, mathematics, chemistry and engineering.
However, he was concerned at the decrease in those taking physics and chemistry and the poor results at ordinary level in these subjects. "These are very important subjects which can play an important role in helping open up a wide range of education and employment opportunities," he said.
Earlier, a teacher union leader quoted survey findings which showed that out of 365 second-level schools, only 182 had a science laboratory, 201 a chemistry laboratory and 208 a physics laboratory. The ASTI president, Mr Michael Corley, said the difficulties schools faced in providing applied maths, computer and technology courses were due to government restrictions on employing new teachers.
Mr Corley went on: "Huge numbers of students are being deprived of real `hands on' experience and are being discouraged from studying science at a time when there are so many official pronouncements on the importance of science, and when job-creation efforts are increasingly focusing on the chemical and pharmaceuticals sector."
He also said insufficient teacher numbers meant that girls faced unfair restrictions in the technical Leaving Certificate subjects they can take. Of 110 girls-only schools surveyed recently by the union, 76 said they had difficulty in providing the full range of vocational and technical subjects, "thus depriving girls of the chance to pursue subjects which have been traditionally seen as boys' subjects."
The TUI president, Mr Joe Carolan, issued special congratulations to students receiving Leaving Certificate Applied and Leaving Certificate Vocational results. "These students can be proud to graduate from this innovative programme, and we call on employers to recognise their achievement in a practical way."
Fine Gael's education spokesman, Mr Richard Bruton, criticised the Minister for Education for failing to provide an official career guidance service for the thousands of students due to get their results today. He said it was "disgraceful that they are forced to depend on the voluntary effort of a committed group of guidance teachers and parents operating on a shoestring budget."
Mr Bruton said one in three students receiving results are in schools where there is no full-time guidance teacher. He said the volunteer helpline organised by the National Parents Council (Post-Primary) was a good idea, but without official support it could remain open for only 28 hours over the next three days.