Dáil debates

Tuesday, 2 October 2007

3:00 am

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 109: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps she will take to improve the uptake of science at second level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21518/07]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is fully committed to strengthening the quality of science teaching and learning, promoting increased scientific literacy and encouraging more students to choose science subjects. Progress in these areas is a vitally important part of our national strategy to support competitiveness and employment.

Significant progress is being made in regard to curricular reform and in-service support for science at both primary and post-primary levels. Science was introduced as a key component in the revised primary school curriculum in 1999 and has been implemented in all schools since September 2003. A revised syllabus in junior certificate science was introduced in 2003 and was examined for the first time in June 2006. This syllabus, with its hands-on investigative approach and its new emphasis on scientific process skills, will be instrumental in encouraging more students to continue their study of science at senior level. A particularly interesting innovation in the revised syllabus is the introduction of the assessment of students' practical work. This assessment accounts for 35% of marks in the junior certificate examination and is based on the completion of 30 mandatory practical activities carried out during the three-year course and on projects undertaken by students in the final year.

Revised syllabuses in leaving certificate physics, chemistry and biology have all been examined for the first time in the past five years. These three subjects are now included in the first phase of the senior cycle review currently being undertaken by the NCCA. This revision of the syllabuses is intended to build on the progress achieved at junior cycle level. Work on the revision of the two remaining leaving certificate subjects — agricultural science and combined physics-chemistry — has also been advanced.

Additional equipment grants have been provided to schools, and laboratories continue to be refurbished as part of the ongoing school building programme. In that context, €13 million was issued to schools in 2004 to support the implementation of the revised junior certificate science syllabus. New and refurbished science labs have also been provided in schools as part of major building projects and through the summer works scheme.

In addition, the introduction of each of the revised syllabuses has been supported by comprehensive in-service programmes for teachers. The strategy for science, technology and innovation sets out a range of measures to further strengthen science teaching and learning and to improve the uptake of senior cycle physics and chemistry. These include ensuring that the project based hands-on investigative approach, which is now in place at junior cycle, is extended to senior cycle, that the appropriate type of assessment is used, and that there is an emphasis on the interdisciplinary nature of science in society.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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I accept that our objective should be to have a hands-on approach to teaching science. The reality, however, is that there is a lack of facilities. Coupled with overcrowded classrooms, especially at senior level, this leads to practical classes being taken on a demonstration level rather than using a hands-on approach. Will the Minister provide a timetable for the introduction of such a hands-on approach in the leaving certificate? When will the resources be put in place to deliver that programme?

Will the Minister put resources in place to provide for school laboratory technicians in order to establish such classes? Time and resources are needed to establish practical classes in which pupils can adopt a hands-on approach to science education. What steps will be taken to ensure a continuous, rolling programme of upskilling teachers on new science and technology developments? The difficulty with the syllabus approach in this country is that science and technology teachers are not being kept up to date with the latest developments in relevant sectors.

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The investment in laboratories over the past few years has been significant, particularly through the junior certificate programme where there was a substantial investment in laboratories in 2003.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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There are still a lot of poor laboratories around.

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Since then, they have been provided under the summer works scheme where curriculum is one of the main criteria. Quite a number of schools have had their laboratories upgraded. All new schools and school extensions also have state-of-the-art laboratories. The senior cycle syllabus should now follow on the success of the junior certificate cycle, and that is being looked at currently.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Is it being looked at or delivered upon?

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The NCCA is now doing that as part of its review. I expect to receive recommendations on that issue. The important thing, however, is that we will see an uptake at leaving certificate level from the junior certificate. At junior certificate level, approximately 90% of students, if not more, when one subtracts the external students, take science for the junior certificate examination. However, the numbers taking physics and chemistry drops to approximately 14% at leaving certificate level. The hands-on approach to junior cycle science and the investment in laboratories are certainly working. There are significant link schemes between industry and schools with science teachers being invited to company laboratories to carry out in-service training during the summer.

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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What about laboratory technicians?

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Laboratory technicians are not a priority at present. The required investment is of better use in the other areas I have mentioned. I have no doubt that if we were to employ laboratory technicians in schools, there would be a knock on demand from all other practical subjects. If that were the case, it would cost up to €112 million per annum.