Adult Education students from Tipperary ETB recently met with the Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton, after winning awards in an all-island “Maths Eyes” competition.   The competition ran as part of Maths Week and encouraged people to look around and see the mathematics in their surroundings, capture it in a photograph and add a caption to produce a poster.

Minister Bruton praised the winners and emphasised the importance of maths. “The Maths Eyes project really encourages people to see mathematics as part of our daily lives and encourages a very positive attitude towards maths that can only enhance learning.” The Minister added: “Initiatives like Maths Eyes and Maths Week Ireland play an important role in encouraging and supporting learning of mathematics, which is important for each individual in their personal lives and also critical in building the skills we need for the 21^st Century.”

This competition was open to school categories as well as adult and community learners during Maths Week and it attracted over 700 entries. Maths Eyes was developed by Dr Terry Maguire, Director National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education in association with Ciaran O’Sullivan of Institute of Technology Tallaght.

Maths Week is an annual event and this year it will take place from the 14^th – 22^nd of October. Founded and coordinated by Calmast at Waterford Institute of Technology, the festival is a partnership of groups interested in promoting maths and has become the largest event of its kind in the world.

Pictured Above left-right are Tracey Cashman, Student; Mary Roche Cleary, TETB Adult Literacy Organiser; Richard Bruton, Minister for Education and Skills; Ann Marie Sweeney, TETB Adult Education Tutor; Vincent Holden, Student; Terry Maguire, Institute of Technology, Tallaght