This year has witnessed a marked increase in the number of Junior Certificate students taking higher-level maths.

Figures released by the State Examinations Commission - a non-departmental public body supported by the Department of Education and Skills - and seen by the Irish Independent revealed 39,980 of the 61,011 candidates entered for the certificate are intending to go down this route, which marks a significant rise on the 29,000 pupils who did the same last year.

This equates to 66 per cent of candidates and is higher than the 49 per cent recorded in 2012 and represents a notable escalation on numbers reported in previous years.

It is believed that the uptake is down to young students placing a greater emphasis on higher education and their future careers, while the numbers have also been helped by the introduction of a new project maths syllabus for both Junior and Leaving Cert pupils.

Written by Donal Walsh

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