Ireland’s senior-cycle school curriculum overhaul faces mounting friction as subject experts across maths, English, science, and construction studies report that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is ignoring professional feedback and operating within rigid, predetermined parameters. The multi-year redevelopment impacts 17 Leaving Certificate subjects, with revised courses in business, biology, chemistry, physics, Arabic, Latin, and Ancient Greek already introduced for students sitting exams this academic year following rollouts that began in 2025.
Mathematics Reform Criticism and High-Profile Resignation
The reform process hit a major hurdle this month when Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, associate professor of mathematics education at Dublin City University (DCU), resigned from the Mathematics Development Group. According to reports from The Irish Times, Ní Shúilleabháin stepped down because she refused to be associated with draft courses that she described as “incoherent and mathematically inaccurate.” She stated that subject specialists on the review groups were being ignored and that professional feedback was routinely left unaddressed during the curriculum redesign.
Did you know? The NCCA maintains curriculum development groups for 17 distinct Leaving Certificate subjects, drawing members from teachers, union representatives, academics, and the Department of Education to shape national exam specifications.
Science and Construction Groups Report Tight Control
Similar frustrations have emerged across the senior-cycle science and construction studies review groups. Humphrey Jones, chairperson of the Irish Science Teachers’ Association from 2024 to 2026, told The Irish Times that members from his organisation experienced a tightly controlled environment where the agenda and narrative were strictly dictated by education officers. Jones noted that group members were blocked from suggesting agenda items, bringing independent research to meetings, discussing mark allocations for non-exam assessments, or receiving accurate minutes that reflected actual room discussions, prompting him to call for a suspension of the reformed Leaving Cert rollout.
In construction studies, Trevor Hickey, a University of Limerick lecturer and textbook author, resigned from his redevelopment group last year after warning the NCCA that the proposed syllabus was being “dumbed down.” Hickey stated that the draft had lost vital applied science content and was barely recognizable as a STEM subject.
Structural Concerns in English and Other Review Panels
The friction is not isolated to STEM subjects, as sources indicate comparable disputes within the English Leaving Certificate review group. According to details shared with The Irish Times, participants reported that overarching reform parameters were dictated from above, leaving committee members with decision-making power restricted solely to minor details. While sources emphasize that volunteer members remain deeply committed to educational improvement, many feel the ultimate curriculum outcomes are predetermined before committee discussions even begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)?
The NCCA has established development groups for 17 Leaving Certificate subjects to help shape new curriculum content and examination specifications.
Which Leaving Certificate subjects are currently affected by curriculum changes?
Subjects undergoing senior-cycle redevelopment include mathematics, English, chemistry, physics, biology, construction studies, business, Arabic, Latin, and Ancient Greek.
Why did Professor Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin resign?
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