“Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn today denied there was any contradiction in findings between the OECD and the State Examinations Commission (SEC) on falling standards in English and maths among Junior Certificate students. The OECD report, widely considered the most reliable guide to academic standards, saw Ireland fall from 5th to 17th in English and 16th to 25th in maths …” (more)
[David Molloy, Irish Times, 3 June]