Fiona O'Loughlin (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming to the House so early in the term. To be here and to bear witness to the Minister's compassion, vision and ambition with regard to the leaving certificate and leaving certificate reform is great, and it is very important for all of us in the House to acknowledge this.

In speaking about acknowledgement, we all acknowledge that our education system plays a significant role in shaping the lives of our young people. It is essential that we constantly adapt to prepare pupils and students for the challenges of the modern world, which changes from year to year. When we think about what we have undergone in the last few years, with Covid, war and so many other things, it is important that we help to foster critical and independent thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. We need a holistic education and one that not only focuses on academic excellence but also nurtures the personal and social development of our young people.

We can never say it enough, but as a party, we in Fianna Fáil are very proud of our record on education and our commitment to providing an education that is accessible to all, cherishes all of our children and individuals equally, and promotes inclusivity, equality of opportunity and lifelong learning, as well as advancing research and innovation. I commend the Minister on accelerating the key reforms to the senior cycle experience, which will benefit tens of thousands of Irish students who sit their leaving certificate examinations every year.

The reforms that the Minister has been talking about, for example, the introduction of non-exam-based components to all leaving certificate subjects, have to be very welcome in developing the holistic experience for young people. There is also the revitalisation of the transition year, TY, experience. Only three nights ago, I had the opportunity to visit a TY career experience in the Patrician Secondary School in Newbridge and the engagement was absolutely top-class. Our future is genuinely safe in the hands of the young men I met there, who are very excited about the opportunities that TY has to offer them. The development of a bespoke leaving certificate and pathway for students with special educational needs is very important, as is the better integration of opportunities for students taking leaving certificate applied and vocational programmes.

It is very exciting that in 2025, less than two years away, students will benefit from the earlier roll-out of nine new and revised subjects, including biology, physics, chemistry and business. We have to applaud the Minister for the fact this will happen two years earlier than previously planned. These transformative developments include the introduction of the two new senior cycle subjects of drama, film and theatre studies; and climate action and sustainable development. In the last mandate, as Chair of the education committee, I know that we spent quite some time on modules around leaving certificate reform. One of the things that Peter Hussey from Crooked House spoke passionately about was the need for young people to have the opportunity to learn drama and theatre studies at second level, which really gives lifelong skills in many areas. It is wonderful that this is happening.

Each aspect of this first tranche of new subject specifications will, of course, incorporate externally assessed components that are not the traditional written exam, and that they will be assessed is very important. There will, of course, be a second tranche of revised subjects in 2026, and I know there will be annual announcements in that regard.

The ambitious programme that the Minister set out in February 2022 for the redevelopment of the senior cycle, guided by the vision of a senior cycle that delivers equity and access for all, is well on the way. That announcement, of course, built on the NCCA senior cycle review but also built on the experience of leaving certificate students over the period of the pandemic.We took the practical experience of our students during that period, and built on that to try to help to develop into the future what the Minister outlined, which is very important. Of course, there was a growing consensus. That particularly reflects the more active student voice in the debate. We cannot have the debate without that student voice. Something the Minister has sought in everything she has done is to make sure the voice of the student is always present, while learning from international experience and perspectives. The extensive engagement the Minister carried out with education stakeholders since the announcement is very important. She mentioned during her speech that the senior cycle redevelopment programme delivery board has already held eight meetings since February, and the fact that the senior cycle redevelopment partners forum is meeting tomorrow is very affirmative of the work she is doing.

On the reform and why we are having it, the introduction of the revised TY programme statement and the fact that every school will be resourced to offer this experience in future is very important. The support of these changes is also important because supporting change is important not just for students but teachers and boards of management, etc. We need to get buy-in from everybody in that regard.

I will mention the leaving certificate applied, LCA, leaving certificate vocational programmes. These have been ignored too often. It is very important that every young person has a chance to shine. The opportunity for students to access the LCA for different further education options is very important. This will be particularly facilitated in the area of maths, which is very important. The fact that the Department will work with employers and other interests to explore improved progression routes for those taking the LCA programme is, again, very important.

The Minister mentioned artificial intelligence. This is important because the rapid growth of AI has prompted significant consideration of the potential challenges and benefits posed by AI in education. It is important to note the Minister has asked for extra research on that.

I thank the Minister. We have to acknowledge the great work that is being done. We have to acknowledge the need to cater for the diverse talents and interests of students; she has done that in what she announced. We just have to create a generation of individuals who are not only well-educated but are fulfilled and motivated to succeed. The Minister acknowledged the importance of mental health and well-being in our education system in the context of the pilot project she announced last year. We have to foster a love of learning in our schools. She is doing that through all the improvements and additions she announced.