What do students really think of Chemistry and Physics?
For the past decade, the number of students taking science subjects Physics and Chemistry at Leaving Certificate level has been steadily declining.
Not all schools offer all three science subjects Biology, Chemistry and Physics, to Leaving Certificate level. All three are available to students at Maynooth Post Primary. However, students. in particular girls, are abandoning Physics in their droves. The school has five Biology classes but just one in Physics. Students point to the difficulty of Physics as one of the key reasons for not choosing to study the subject. These Maynooth students are not alone.
All over the country, the numbers of boys and girls doing Physics and Chemistry is declining and the Junior Cert is partly to blame.
Science teacher Pat Mahony believes that many students are being put off at Junior Cert level with Physics and Chemistry being perceived as dry, boring and unrelatable.
Maynooth is one of many colleges producing the next generation of scientists. The university is keen to encourage students to study Physics. Jim Slevin, Professor of Experimental Physics at NUI Maynooth, says that there is a perception that it is really difficult. He believes that these perceptions are greatly exaggerated. Physics qualifications can lead to careers in areas such as engineering, medicine and computers. One Maynooth student is hoping for a career as an astrophysicist.
Sean Ashe, school principal, says there is a need for greater investment at secondary school level to encourage students to become more interested in science. There are hopes that all this will change when a new syllabus is introduced.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 22 February 2000. The reporter is Aileen O'Meara.
