FIne Gael Slams Education Cuts

Cuts Taking Irish Science Education Backward  - Clune

Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD  has hit out at the Government as she believes the results of a recent  ASTI survey prove that  the quality of science education in Ireland has already deteriorated as a result  of  recent education cutbacks by  the Government.

"The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland has released the results of a survey of 300 schools which reveal that allmost 10% of secondary schools have been forced to drop physics as a subject offered to students," said Clune.

Another worrying trend picked up by the ASTI survey is that higher and ordinary level science classes have  already been combined in 70% of schools.

"These results prove that the Government's education cutbacks, and the
increased pupil/teacher ratio has produced a backward step in the quality
of science education," said Clune.

"The recent Innovation Taskforce Report highlighted the importance of science in developing our economy and  it set out a blueprint for our future built on a solid science foundation.

"But this new report shows how far removed we are from the Ireland that was envisaged in this report.

"Denying students the option of taking science subjects and combining higher and ordinary level science classes cannot but reduce the standard of our science education further.

"The National Competitiveness Council and Engineers Ireland, among others, have called for science and maths education to be reformed and prioritised. But the Government has so far failed to implement this recommendation.

"We are now asking young students in our schools to take up maths and science subjects, while cutting the resources provided to support them. This is not fair to the students or the teachers within the system and it  will not
help us to  build an innovative, science-based economy," siad Clune.

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