More than 56,000 students are getting their Junior Certificate results today amid rising concern about the performance of students in maths and science.
Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe said it was a proud day for students, their parents and teachers after many hours of hard work.
“I am very encouraged to see that over 87 per cent of students took the Science subject at Junior Certificate level in 2008,” he said.
“Over two-thirds of those students taking Science are taking it at higher level.
“The practical elements of the assessment, which account for up to a third of the marks, certainly takes pressure off students during the final examination.
“It is my hope that students will continue with Science subjects when planning their subject choices for their Leaving Certificate.”
Despite the growing concerns about the performance of students in maths and science, today's show some encouraging trends.
At just under 3 per cent, the failure rate for higher level maths is the lowest since the syllabus changed in 2003, while the percentage of candidates gaining an A, B or C grade is up - with almost four out of every five students getting an honour in the subject.
But employers' group Ibec today criticised the Junior Certificate as out of touch and urged the Government to scrap the tests which they claim stifle creativity and a spirit of enquiry in the teenagers who sit them.
Ibec, which represents Irish business leaders, said society and the economy had changed and it was now time for the Junior Certificate to follow suit.
Siobhan Masterson, senior policy executive for the organisation, said the exams fail to produce skills in pupils which are critical for the knowledge economy.
“The Junior Certificate curriculum fosters negative attitudes towards particular subjects and discourages many from continuing within the formal education system,” she said.
“Failure to radically reform the Junior Certificate is, therefore, a failure to recognise the huge potential that young students can achieve during their early years at second level.”
The Minister for Health Promotion and Food Safety, Mary Wallace, today asked Junior Cert students to celebrate sensibly and safely and not to include alcohol in their celebrations. She also urged those selling alcohol to be extra vigilant.
“We know from recently published research that about half the children between the ages of 15 to 17 report to be current drinkers, and just over a third report to have been ‘really drunk’ in the previous 30 days. Children under the age of 18 appear to have little difficulty in accessing alcohol,” Ms Wallace said.
"The adverse effects of alcohol extend beyond physical health issues to mental, social and financial problems. There is a continuum of problems, which can affect everyone across the community.
"We cannot be complacent about the potential short-term and longer term risks involved for our young people,” she added.