Vol. 509 No. 3
97 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to concerns which have been expressed about the declining number of students sitting leaving certificate physics and chemistry exams; his views on whether these concerns are well grounded; and the proposals, if any, he has in this regard. [19786/99]
I am very much aware of the situation in relation to the declining uptake of the physical science subjects at leaving certificate level. This situation is not unique to Ireland but reflects a trend which has been experienced in most countries of the developed world.
The situation in Ireland is that the uptake of both physics and chemistry reached a peak of over 20 per cent of the leaving certificate cohort in the mid-1980s. The percentages of candidates taking the subjects physics and chemistry in the 1999 leaving certificate examination were 14.5 per cent and 11.1 per cent, respectively.
Last March I announced a wide-ranging initiative to address this issue. The initiative involves increased funding for school laboratories and equipment, comprehensive in-career development for teachers of physics and chemistry and the production of revised syllabi in leaving certificate physics and chemistry and junior certificate science. Funding for this initiative is estimated to be in excess of £15 million over three years.
