Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this matter on behalf of my colleague, the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills.

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and I welcome this opportunity to outline the position in on entrepreneurship in schools. At a European level, the EU Commission has identified enterprise as one of eight key competences all students should have by the end of second level education. The Commission defines enterprise as being able to make change happen, as well as being able to support and adapt to change, taking responsibility for ideas, setting objectives and meeting them, and being motivated to succeed. My Department supports enterprise in schools through the development of core skills in the curriculum such as literacy and numeracy, ICT, higher order thinking and problem solving; ensuring an appropriate basket of competences in junior and senior cycles; and specific programmes in enterprise in senior cycle.

One of the principles underpinning the primary school curriculum is that the child's higher order thinking and problem solving skills are developed. Through the curriculum, the child is encouraged to observe, to ask relevant questions, to recognise the essence of a problem, to suggest solutions and to make informed judgements. These skills are fundamental to engendering enterprise in our young people. At junior cycle level, an enterprise culture is promoted by ensuring an appropriate range of competences through a broadly based programme encouraging investigative approaches and offering science, ICT, languages, technology and a range of academic and practical subjects. These offer a foundation for active citizenship and lifelong learning.

In senior cycle students taking the transition year option, the leaving certificate vocational programme and the leaving certificate applied are provided with specific opportunities to acquire enterprise skills. These programmes place a strong focus on active learning, community-based approaches, personal development and teamwork. Students also engage in work experience. As part of transition year, which is now taken by 50% of students, Mini-company is among the range of options supported. Mini-company is a tuition programme and class activity undertaken over the period of the transition year. After generating the business idea, the company is set up and registered, different students assume the roles of different actors in the company - chief executive officer, production manager, human resources, industrial relations, finance, etc. The same process is gone through leading to the production of the product or service, the accounts, the business report, and also the winding down of the company, and the presentation and interview process.

Enterprise education and preparation for work are the link modules which form an explicit part of the curriculum within the leaving certificate vocational programme. In the leaving certificate examination this year, the link modules were taken by 15,596 candidates. The enterprise dimension of the programme is designed to give students the opportunity to meet enterprising people and investigate business and community enterprises. As part of the modules, students are encouraged to set up their own enterprise projects as vehicles of learning at home, in a school, in the community or in business. The vocational preparation and training aspects of the leaving certificate applied, taken by 3,358 students in 2010, also include enterprise and work experience dimensions.

The leaving certificate business syllabus has a strong focus on enterprise. The syllabus is designed to provide a clear understanding of the role of enterprise and to develop in students a positive and ethical attitude to enterprise in personal, business and public life. The syllabus covers the relationships of people in a business environment; handling conflict; identifying, marketing and starting a business; the domestic and international environment; entrepreneurs and enterprise skills; and their application to different situations. In the leaving certificate in 2010, some 18,790 students sat business. It will be seen, therefore, that enterprise is an intrinsic part of the curriculum in senior cycle supported by continuing professional development programmes and resources for teachers.

The county and city enterprise boards organise a student enterprise award scheme in second level schools and Youthreach centres. Students are required to generate the business idea, research it, undertake a risk assessment, produce the product or service, market it, prepare costings and accounts and a business report. In 2009 for the first time, the top three winners of the transition year mini-company "Get Up and Go" competition and the CEB student enterprise awards were presented with the Seán Lemass award for enterprise by the Taoiseach. There was also media coverage, including on "The Late Late Show", of businesses developed by students in the competitions. This was the first year of the Seán Lemass award and it reflects a commitment in the Government strategy "Building Ireland's Smart Economy: A Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal" to raise the profile of these competitions and encourage more second level students to participate in enterprise programmes.

Enterprise does not relate only to setting up a business and there are other examples across the school system which promote the skills which underpin an enterprise culture. Young Social Innovators is an initiative to promote social awareness among students and is available for schools providing the transition year programme. The students are encouraged to identify a social issue, research it and engage in an action plan to promote change. The skills of teamwork, research, planning, evaluation, critical reflection and active citizenship are developed. The results are showcased in an annual exhibition and award scheme. Some of the projects can result in social enterprises being explored. Some 6,000 students annually take part. The Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, now the largest and longest running exhibition of its kind in Europe, is another example of the innovation and creativity which is being fostered and promoted in our schools.

In addition to the above, a variety of voluntary and other agencies have been promoting links between schools and business, either in the form of junior achievement or the business in the community schools business partnership programme concentrating on schools serving disadvantaged communities. This work is also supported extensively through the county enterprise boards and chambers of commerce.

We are continuing to promote key skills and active learning as part of ongoing curriculum reform. The junior cycle review currently under way will present new opportunities to strengthen these skills and promote enterprise, creativity and innovation in our schools.

I thank the Deputy once again for raising this matter.

See this speech in context