Employers' group IBEC says it continues to be concerned at poor maths results in the Leaving Certificate exams.
It described the 11.6% failure rate in ordinary level maths as 'worryingly high'. Adding those taking foundation level, this meant that 20% of students failed to reach the standard needed to pass the ordinary level paper in the subject.
IBEC's Caroline Nash also said the number taking higher level maths fell by more than 8% this year. She said this was a concern for the high-tech sector, which needs engineering, science and technology graduates with very strong numeracy skills.
Meanwhile, IBEC's PharmaChemical Ireland division, which represents Ireland's pharmaceutical and chemicals industry, expressed concern at the continued fall in the number of students obtaining honours in chemistry, with a 5% drop at higher level and a 24% decline at ordinary level since 2003.
'While industry is doing its best to promote careers and has even developed a range of support materials for science teachers the Government still continues to drag its feet,' said PharmaChemical Ireland director Matt Moran.
He said an increase in the number of students studying chemistry indicated that the promotional campaigns were working but a lack of support for teachers made it difficult to take advantage of this increase.
PharmaChemical Ireland said it was particularly disappointed at the lack of implementation of the recommendations of the Task Force on Physical Sciences, whose report was published in 2002.
