The Leaving Cert Maths System Is Causing Problems At Third Level

The higher-level Leaving Cert maths bonus points system was introduced in 2012. Just five years later there are fears that the bonus points system is not having the desired impact on students.

The introduction of the bonus points has seen the number of students sitting the higher-level Leaving Cert maths exam almost double in six years. President of Dublin City University Prof Brian MacCraith said the bonus points system is a "blunt approach" to improving maths standards, according to The Irish Times.

Prof MacCraith is reported to have said the bonus points system is encouraging some students to take risks for the sake of extra points and these students are not up to the standard required for maths at third-level. This has resulted in the introduction of Mathematics Learner Support and Maths Learning Centres in third-level institutes across the country according to a November 2016 report from the Department of Education and Skills. According to The Irish Times some third-level institutions have doubled their spending on these support centres for students in the past few years.

Since the bonus points system was introduced there has been talk of it being applied to other subjects. Do you think the higher-level Leaving Cert maths bonus points system should be scrapped, amended or applied to other subjects?