Mallow has come in for special praise for taking a national leadership role in encouraging young people to take a bigger interest in science and mathematics.

Speaking at the second Mallow Science and Maths Fair attended by an estimated 3,000 parents and children yesterday, Minister for Research and Innovation, Sean Sherlock T.D. said it was inspiring to see so many poeple who wanted to engage with this effort, not only students but also their parents and grandparents.

Continuing with this vision in mind, it@cork, European Tech Cluster has developed it's groundbreaking adopt-a-school programme which aligns the IT industry with schools and deploys a creative model focused on increasing relevant skills, enhancing infrastructure, and most importantly, a future globally competitive workforce.

Denis Collins says "This programme will develop vibrant and creative relationships between IT-intensive organisations and schools. It will excite and engage young students in IT-based innovation and help organisations make a strategic contribution to the economic and social development of the regions in which they operate. The successful implementation of this programme will ensure that the challenges we face today in the area of recruitment of IT staff will become a distant memory in the future. This is a model with national and global potential". For further information or to get involved in the Adopt-a-School please contact julianne@itcork.ie or view online at http://www.itcork.ie/index.cfm/page/it_corkadotp-a-schoolprogramme

The fair held in the town's GAA complex was organised by the Mallow Development Partnership and the National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching and Learning (NCE-MSTL), featured a range of interactive displays hosted by twenty of the country's top Third Level, research and business institutions. The list of Fair participants reads like a who's who from the world of innovation and included: IBM, it@cork, European Tech Cluster, EMC Ireland, Vistakon, CIT, Dairygold, CALMAST, University of Limerick, Mary Immaculate College, Blackrock Castle Observatory, Limerick Institute of Technology, Waterford Institute of Technology, Lifetime Lab Cork, LERO, MPHC, The Civil Engineering and Materials Dept. UL, SEAI, Discover Science and Engineering, MACSI and the NIMBUS Centre.

The importance of events like the Science and Maths Fair could not be underestimated, Minister Sherlock said.

"It provides an opportunity for children teenagers and adults to experience science, engineering, computer technology and mathematics in a fun, hands-on way. We need more students to study subjects like Maths, the sciences, technology and engineering. Events like these promote awareness and encourage people to study STEM subjects and to consider looking at careers in this area. This is a fundamental requirement for growth of the knowledge economy and the development of a sustainable culture of research and innovation in Ireland.

Minister Sherlock said that Project Maths was one element of the Government response to the need bolster approaches to the teaching of mathematics. It was an ambitious programme of reform to transform the teaching and learnings of Maths and included an extensive continuing professional development programme for teachers.

"I recently attended the induction day for the professional Diploma in Mathematics for Teaching, at NCE-MSTL designed for "out of field" teachers of maths. The Government is providing over €2 million to fund this course, which shows the firm support for the promotion of maths teaching and learning. This two year part time course is aimed at improving the skills of maths teachers at post-primary level, with some 400 teachers attending this year, "Minister Sherlock said.