Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The fact that up to now 90% of students have chosen the subject is no guarantee that under the proposed framework that will continue to be the case. We have something that is working, so why try to reinvent it? There is no doubt that the junior certificate history programme needed reform, especially in second year. However, the fear remains that it will not convey all the skills involved with the teaching of history, including literacy, numeracy, analysis, critical thinking and the question of how can we know who we are as a people unless we know where we have come from. It is also important in terms of teaching bias and the role of the media. I do not believe all of that will come across under the new proposal. We have seen the example in England, where changes were introduced. Someone made the point that when Margaret Thatcher died no one from a certain generation knew who she was. Perhaps that is not a bad thing, but nevertheless a certain point was being made.

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