asked the Minister for Education the number of secondary schools (a) in the area of Dublin city and county and (b) outside that area in which science is offered as a subject to leaving certificate level; and the proportion this constitutes of the total number of secondary schools.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Secondary School Subjects.
71.
The number of secondary schools in the area of Dublin city and county in which science is taught as a subject to leaving certificate level is 116. The number of such schools in the rest of the country is 396. These figures constitute 85 per cent of the total number of secondary schools.
72.
asked the Minister for Education the number of secondary schools (a) in the Dublin city and county area and (b) in the area outside Dublin city and county in which mathematics is taught by university honours graduates in mathematics; and the percentage of schools in each case in which such graduates perform such teaching.
73.
asked the Minister for Education the number of secondary schools (a) in the Dublin city and county area and (b) in the area outside Dublin city and county in which science is taught by honours graduates in science; and the percentage of schools in each case in which such graduates perform such teaching.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 72 and 73 together.
The information already compiled in my Department is not in a form which would enable these questions to be answered. In order to abstract the information which is being sought by the Deputy, it would be necessary to commit staff to the examination of documents relating to every school and to each teacher concerned. If this were to be done it would interfere with the carrying out of the ordinary work of the secondary branch of my Department to a degree which would be unwarranted.
Is it not common knowledge that the proportion of science and mathematics graduates who, in fact, assume secondary teaching duties in this country is very small? The Minister is dismissing my question very lightly.
I do not think so. I could give the Deputy the number of teachers for 1968-69 and the total with honours degrees. The total number of teachers was 6,185 and the total with honours degrees was 2,620.