Education Minister Ruairí Quinn has ordered the cap on the number of examinations a pupil can take to allow more time for learning basic literacy and numeracy.

Recent OECD research revealed that 17% of Irish 15 year olds lack the literacy skills to function in today’s society. One-in-five lack necessary numeracy skills.

The head of DCU’s BA in Journalism programme recently admitted some first-year students had difficulty with basic English such as spelling, grammar, punctuation and word usage.

Patrick Kinsella said: “Despite their great exam results, many students still have significant weaknesses when it comes to the basics. Punctuation and spelling are problematic for some.”

He said common errors include mixing up “quite” and “quiet”, “libel” and “liable”, “where” and “were”, “there” and “their” and “principle” and “principal”.

Until now, some students took up to 12 subjects at junior level. Under the new strategy, primary schools will be told to set aside 90 minutes every day exclusively for teaching literacy.

There were no previous guidelines on time spent on literacy, although schools had to dedicate 48 minutes a day to English. Teachers will also be instructed to increase the time they spend on mathematics from the current 36 minutes a day to 50.

“It is the Government’s belief that no child should leave school unable to read and write and use mathematics to solve problems,” said Mr Quinn said.

“We know that there is currently much room for improvement and this strategy sets out the road map with concrete targets and reforms that will ensure our children, from early childhood to the end of second level, master these key skills.”

Students starting at second level in September 2012 will be the first barred from taking on any more than eight Junior Certificate subjects.

There will be more standardised tests of reading and maths in primary schools, with exams for secondary students in second year.

Results will be sent to parents, school management and the Department of Education.

Pat King, general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, backed the strategy, but issued a plea to the Government. “In this context, we are appealing to the Government not to impose further cuts on our under-resourced schools.”