Bonus points for students taking leaving certificate higher level maths are to be introduced from 2012, it was confirmed tonight.
Minister for Education Mary Coughlan welcomed the decision by the Irish Universities Association to introduce the points.
However, while the deputy president of UCD, Dr Philip Nolan recently signalled that a bonus of up to about 40 points would be available for those choosing to take higher level maths, the seven universities said that students will receive only 25 additional points.
Under the new changes, every students taking higher level maths and gaining grade D3 or higher will receive the bonus. A student scoring a D3 will get the current 45 points plus the 25 point bonus, a total of 70 points.
In a statement issued this evening, Ms Coughlan said the introduction of bonus points for maths "sends a clear signal to our leaving certificate students about the importance we attach to the study of maths."
Ms Coughlan added that while bonus points were not a "silver bullet" that would fully address underachievement in maths, their introduction should help lead to an increase in the number of students opting to take higher level maths.