Quinn in the dark as maths crisis deepens

EDUCATION Minister Ruairi Quinn has admitted for the first time he doesn't know the number of unqualified second-level maths teachers -- five months after asking experts to find out.

Despite the urgency of tackling the maths crisis, Mr Quinn suggested to the Teaching Council last April that it "might wish to advise" his department on "teacher supply".

But the council -- the teaching watchdog -- has yet to begin the investigation to establish the number of unqualified maths teachers.

And it claims it does not have the resources to undertake such a study and will have to outsource the work.

That means thousands of current Leaving Cert students are destined to study under the same system that has led to worryingly low grades in maths over recent years.

This latest development will fuel demands for an investigation to pinpoint the shortfalls.


- Louise Hogan and Breda Heffernan

Irish Independent