Engineers Ireland has urged a pause and review of the proposed senior cycle mathematics curriculum, arguing that students must continue to acquire the depth of knowledge required for engineering and other STEM disciplines.

The call follows independent research commissioned by the organisation which indicates that, if demand continues to rise at the pace of the past decade, the island of Ireland could face an annual deficit of up to 6,000 engineers and engineering technicians by 2030.

Engineers Ireland describes mathematics education as a strategic national issue: Ireland needs more young people to choose engineering, and those who do must be sufficiently prepared to succeed when they reach third level.

While supporting efforts to make maths more engaging and to strengthen problem-solving, the body is concerned that aspects of the draft curriculum could reduce the depth and breadth of learning, particularly in algebra, spatial and abstract reasoning, analytical methods and mathematical proof.

It says these are not abstract concerns but essential foundations for students progressing to engineering and other mathematics-intensive courses.

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According to engineering educators, some students who achieve strong results in Higher Level Mathematics at Leaving Certificate still arrive at university without adequate mastery of key concepts, creating added pressure for learners and lecturers and making the transition more challenging.

Dr Keith Sunderland, Registrar at Engineers Ireland, said: "Ireland needs more engineers, and that means encouraging more young people into the profession and giving them the best possible chance of succeeding when they get there.

"Mathematics is fundamental to engineering. We support efforts to make it engaging and focused on problem-solving, but this cannot come at the expense of mathematical depth and rigour.

"A strong Leaving Certificate result should give a student confidence that they have developed the mathematical foundations needed to progress to a demanding third-level course.

"We need to be certain that the proposed curriculum will deliver that.

"This matters far beyond the engineering profession. Ireland needs engineers to deliver the homes, energy, water, transport and other infrastructure required by a growing population, as well as to support many of the industries on which our economy depends. Our recent research shows that the island of Ireland could face an annual shortfall of up to 6,000 engineers and engineering technicians by 2030. Strengthening the pipeline into engineering must therefore be a national priority.

"As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly embedded in education, engineering and the workplace, strong analytical and critical-thinking skills will become more important, not less. Curriculum reform should equip students for that future."

Engineers Ireland notes that previous curriculum changes have not consistently delivered the intended gains in mathematical problem-solving and says lessons from those reforms should inform the current review, especially before altering the depth and breadth of content available to senior cycle students.

The organisation is calling for the draft to be benchmarked against high-performing international mathematics curricula and for the likely impact on students entering engineering and other mathematics-intensive third-level programmes to be fully assessed before the new syllabus is finalised.