Very good idea. Maths needs to be the priority but we also need to encourage the sciences too. They’re just as important in getting people into the high-tech sector, where many vacancies are just waiting to be filled!

In this case it seems Quinn is focusing on just getting people to do the subject as opposed to Maths where the focus is on people doing HL. I assume the bonus here would apply at both ordinary and higher level.

My only criticism is that there’s plenty of people who do biology anyway. In my school there were 3 biology classes. That’s about 70/120 students. Physics was 2 classes with about 40/120 and Chemistry was only one class with about 20/120. More people doing biology than doing Physics and Chemistry combined! One girl did all three of them :D

Maybe the focus should just be on Physics and Chemistry. Those are the subjects that are most sought after in the high tech sector. Or at least have a different bonus point for each subject.

It’s also important to realise that if the subject is not taught well, then adding more pupils doesn’t really help the situation. Sure, more people may do the subject at leaving cert, but it doesn’t help the economy if none of them take it on to third level. More focus needs to be placed on teacher training and curriculum change to encourage people into third level in these subject areas. Many people are completely turned off Maths in college because of the huge jump from LC maths to college maths. At least the sciences are different because they can often start from scratch again or at least the jump up isn’t as big.

Students should only get bonus points for courses that actually require science subjects. It’d be nonsensical to get rewarded for taking sciences if you want to study philosophy or history or languages.

This is going to lead to people neglecting English and Irish because their Maths and Sciences will boost their overall points. Whatever about Irish, English is a necessity in every field at university, even Science…

They should also examine if each of the science courses taught in secondary school are taylored enough to properly feed into the college courses, I found a huge step up in level, they need to merge more seamlessly

Bad idea. If it happens a lot of students will choose a science, not because their interested but because they can get more points in the points race. Trying to force people into maths/sciences with incentives like extra points and easier exams (project maths) is not the right idea.

Meg and Keith are spot on, it is the points system that is the problem. Maths and science have not got any harder over the years it is just easier to get points elsewhere, life cherry pick the easier subjects

where are all the science jobs I know someone just finished there course and can’t find work. so no point giving extra points for jobs that aren’t there .

science should come before maths. then students can see the application of the math theory. Rate of chemical reaction = differential eqns; direction of forces = vectors; why recessive genes don’t die out = stats.
Not to mention the logical thought process

To be fair I’m not the best at spelling myself!

Sound like it’s a dumbing down exercise.

The really important thing of course is that we acknowledge the right of corporate CEOs to tell us how to run our education system.

@Kevin, they cannot both be dealt with first

“…follpwing suit with science subjects could be one way to ensure more students take up Biology, Bhemistry and Bhysics…” Really?