Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 10 Feb 1999

Vol. 500 No. 2

Written Answers. - Literacy and Numeracy Levels.

Richard Bruton

Question:

51 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the proportion of children in primary schools found to have significant reading difficulty; the proportion with significant numeracy difficulty; if he has set a target that no pupil can enter second level without a basic level of literacy and numeracy; and when this target will be reached. [3621/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

Individual schools test their own pupils' progress in literacy and numeracy using a variety of tests, including standardised tests. Information on pupils' progress, including those with significant literacy and numeracy difficulties, is kept at school level.

There is an estimate from the National Survey of English Reading (1993), which tested a random sample of pupils in fifth class, that about 6 per cent to 9 per cent of pupils have serious literacy difficulties. International surveys would indicate reading literacy levels for Irish nine and 14 year olds of just above average.

In relation to numeracy the results of surveys conducted by my Department during the 1980s on the primary curriculum mathematics programme were expressed in the form of the percentage of pupils who had attained mastery of particular mathematics objectives. In general, the findings of the surveys indicated that the great majority of pupils in the classes tested, second, fourth and sixth, attained mastery on those objectives involving basic computational skills. The main deficiencies indicated by the surveys were in relation to conceptual understanding and the solving of word problems.

The 1995 Third International Mathematics and Science Study involved Irish pupils in third and fourth classes. The results showed that the mean mathematics scores of Irish pupils in both class grades were higher than the corresponding international mean mathematics scores. Among countries involved which satisfied various sampling criteria, Irish pupils were placed seventh of 16 countries in the third class survey and sixth of 17 countries in the fourth class survey.

The Government is strongly committed to improving literacy and numeracy and, for this reason, has increased significantly the resources made available to schools to achieve this objective. These include the extension of a remedial service to every school as of this September and the allocation of £6.5 million for school library books. I intend taking further steps in this area in the coming months.

While I believe that all students entering second level should have solid skills in literacy and numeracy, and I am committed to ensuring this becomes a reality, a set prohibition on progress is believed to have had harmful consequences when it was in practice previously. As such, I do not propose to reintroduce it.