Written answers

Tuesday, 26 April 2005

Department of Education and Science

Interculturalism in Schools

9:00 pm

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 130: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the steps she is taking to assist schools in catering for the increasingly diverse cultural and ethnic nature of the pupil base, particularly at primary level; if her attention has been drawn to concerns expressed by teachers at the lack of resources available to them to cope with the changing nature of the pupil base; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13015/05]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department has been active for a number of years in promoting interculturalism in schools. A range of actions are in place to support the participation of minority groups and Travellers in education. These include information for schools on the integration of asylum seekers and Travellers; additional resources for schools to support the needs of students for whom English is not the mother tongue; resource packs for schools prepared by organisations such as the National Consultative Committee on Anti-Racism and Interculturalism; a video for second level schools highlighting excerpts from the "Mono" television programme; materials and training for teachers through funding the work of Integrate Ireland Language Training and other bodies; development in progress by the NCCA of guidelines for primary and post-primary teachers on how the existing curriculum can be mediated and adapted to reflect the emergence of an expanding multi-cultural society — the primary guidelines will be published in May and the post-primary guidelines are expected to be ready by the end of the year; supports provided by the Reception and Integration Agency to assist in the integration of refugees and asylum seekers into schools; and expanding provision for language and literacy tuition for adults for whom English is not the mother tongue through the VEC literacy services.

In the current school year, 393 language support teacher posts have been sanctioned at primary level and 202.78 wholetime equivalent teaching posts have been allocated to post-primary schools to support the needs of pupils for whom English is not the mother tongue. The new curricula at primary and post-primary levels provide ample opportunity to extend students' awareness of the wider world and to learn about the lives and histories of people in other countries and of their contributions to art and science. In particular, the social personal and health education programmes at primary and post-primary levels are designed to prepare students for participatory citizenship and to develop the skills of critical appraisal and decision making based on human rights and social responsibilities. They also promote a respect for human dignity, tolerance for the values and beliefs of others and a celebration of diversity.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.