Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Chair. It is wonderful to be here today and I welcome all our speakers. I know Dr. Smyth from the ESRI, Dr. Freeman from Science Foundation Ireland, Ms Costello from IBEC and Mr. Donohoe from our expert group on future skills needs and Mr. McDonnell from ISME. We are all here to talk about reform of the leaving certificate. It is great to hear that in the submissions, from what I can pick up on, overall there is quite a lot of support for us looking at a reformed leaving certificate. That is what our committee is here for. We welcome the witnesses' submissions. This is going to feed into a report and many recommendations. It will drive change within the Department of Education. I thank the witnesses for the time they have spent in putting the submissions together and for the thought they have given to them. I have a few questions and will give a bit of an overview as well. On the future of skills, witnesses talked about the artificial intelligence, the digital transformation and the challenges we have and have seen over the past year and a half with healthcare and with climate change.

I might pose my first question to Science Foundation Ireland. It is great to see Dr. Freeman. First, I congratulate Science Foundation Ireland's new director general, Professor Philip Nolan, who will be taking up the role shortly. Professor Mark Ferguson, I suppose, will continue as chief scientific adviser. He has led the ship over a long number of years, which has been great to see. I welcome some of the projects that SFI has been doing in the community. I am based in Ballinasloe, County Galway, and I represent Roscommon and Galway. The Creating our Future roadshow and the impact it has had in engaging with the communities across towns and villages has been excellent. I thank SFI's team for that. I have some questions for Dr. Freeman. In the submission from Science Foundation Ireland, Dr. Freeman talked a little bit out the accreditation of teachers. I know that previously, teachers were involved in different projects - perhaps at the centres of excellence around the country - working with researchers, getting a flavour and making them more exhilarated about science and the potential of science and so on. Dr. Freeman might speak a little about the accreditation of teachers and what that could look like, were we looking at it for a secondary school.

The witnesses also mentioned lifelong learners. I have enjoyed this theme, which has run through a number of the submissions. I work closely with the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, on the apprenticeship programme about rolling out all the opportunities. The Minister, Deputy Harris, through the Central Applications Office, CAO, reform next year, will showcase everything that is there including the post leaving certificate, PLC, and further education sectors and the apprenticeship programme, as well as our traditional routes into college. I like this focus. I ask Dr. Freeman to comment on STEM in the CAO reform and what impact that might have on science. She spoke as well about girls taking up STEM subjects. I remember from when I was there about the importance of role models. I note role models were important in the reports that came back to us. What sort of role models do we need for the future for both boy and girl students going forward? Maybe Dr. Freeman can say something about that.

I have a question for Mr. Donohoe about the expert group on future skills needs.

He referred to our school and educational experience giving an appetite for learning after school. I liked that phrase. As part of the expert group's report, Together for Design, it worked with career guidance teachers. Is there any feedback from that? Was that solely to do with transition year?

Mr. Donohoe spoke about the low levels of lifelong learning and I am aware of the 11% statistic. We need to get people back into the workforce and back into study. So many people have taken career breaks. There are mums and dads at home who have taken time out. How do we encourage them and get their confidence back so they think about study, working or taking part in their local communities? Community groups are coming to the fore in towns and villages. They are driving change in our local areas, which is why it is important that people consider living and working in regional areas. I ask the witnesses to say a little on that.

Mr. Donohoe also spoke about languages. As an arts student, I appreciated that because languages are very important. I have to upskill as Gaeilge but French and Spanish are very important to me. I ask the witnesses to expand a little on language skills.

Dr. Smyth from the ESRI spoke about the stress for students and I appreciated that. I am not sure I like the term soft skills. I never did. I was an arts student and people would always talk about soft skills but I never liked the term. I like thinking about skills we have for life.

I will come back to fifth year and leaving certificate students. In an ideal world, what would a perfect leaving certificate look like? I would welcome a comment on that from any of the witnesses.

I again thank the witnesses. We need to develop our skills and equip our students. They are our talent and the people who will drive forward and lead our country, whether in public representation, communities, business, research or any other walk of life. Education is crucial for that to happen and the witnesses' submissions are crucial for us in looking at how we ensure students are equipped to take on these challenges and succeed in them.