Representatives of the pharmaceutical and chemical sector have expressed concern about the teaching of science subjects in schools following today's Leaving Cert results.
Dr Mark Glynn, of IBEC's PharmaChemical Ireland group, said that despite a slight overall increase in the numbers studying the subjects, the bigger picture was 'not promising'.
He pointed to a 4% drop compared with 2004 in the number of students studying higher level chemistry, and an increase in the failure rates of lower level biology and chemistry.
'The education system is the cornerstone of Ireland's economic success and future achievement. There is a real fear, however, that it will not deliver the high quality skilled graduates needed to support Ireland's ambitious enterprise objectives,' said Dr Glynn.
He said the Physical Science Task Force report of 2002 had highlighted several measures to improve the take-up of science at second and third level, but he said most of the recommendations had yet to be implemented.
