Barry Andrews (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

I am taking this Adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe. I thank Senator Keaveney for raising this matter. The requirements overall in schools are that children should be under the supervision of the school staff for the duration of the school day. While schools are encouraged to use visiting speakers and to promote integrated in-school and out-of-school links which enrich the curriculum, and while liaison between home school and community is encouraged, the policy is that the use of such inputs should be based on an educational continuum co-ordinated and planned by the class teacher.

The out-of-hours school learning initiative in Northern Ireland provides for additional funding of learning activities outside normal hours in which young people take part voluntarily. It includes activities such as homework and revision clubs, help with key skills, sport, games, creative activities, mathematics, information and communications technology, residential events, volunteering and community service, mentoring and specific hobby or special interest clubs. These are normally school-organised activities which take place before or after school, during lunch times, at weekends or during holidays.

In the South, many schools have traditionally provided extra curricular activities as a means of enriching pupils' experience of the curriculum as well as providing a variety of means to extend learning during the school day beyond the classroom. Our schools have a long and proud tradition of developing sport outside of the school timetable.

In the arts, the Department of Education and Science and the Arts Council have jointly published artists in schools guidelines to promote arts in education practice. It provides for local artists or organisations from a wide range of art forms to collaborate with schools to enrich and extend children's experience of the curriculum in school and out of school.

Under the DEIS programme the Department provides additional teaching supports and non-pay funding to schools designated as disadvantaged to support them in the implementation of a targeted action plan to promote the achievement of children at risk. Breakfast clubs, homework and after-school clubs, summer camps, literacy through the arts initiatives, youth work activities and collaboration with community organisations form an important part of the approach. Business in the community partnerships and mentoring schemes are also offered. These initiatives place a key emphasis on promoting confidence, self esteem and student engagement, and providing for active learning and success.

A student enterprise award scheme is run by the county and city enterprise boards in which 12,000 students participate annually. Some 5,000 students per year participate in the young social innovators programme which is designed to promote social awareness among students in schools providing transition year. In addition, the young scientist and technology exhibition is the largest and longest running science and technology exhibition for primary and second level students in Europe. It is visited by thousands of students each year and attracts wide-scale media attention.

Under the discover science and engineering initiative, schools are encouraged to take part in visits to discovery centres, field trips and science and engineering events designed to stimulate interest in career options in these areas. Our schools co-operate wholeheartedly in providing opportunities to extend the curriculum beyond the classroom. This involves extensive voluntary collaboration between schools and communities.

The Minister for Education and Science, Deputy O'Keeffe, is satisfied that our schools provide a range of stimulating and innovative opportunities for students which extend and enrich the curriculum, expand learning beyond the classroom and promote integrated community links. In view of this, there are no plans to replicate the out-of-hours school learning model in the South. I again thank Senator Keaveney for providing me with the opportunity to address the House on this matter.