Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which he proposes to encourage the promotion of the arts in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28549/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Arts education, including visual arts, music and drama, is one of the seven subject areas that comprise the primary curriculum, which was revised in 1999 and is being implemented on a phased basis.

The primary curriculum support programme, PCSP, provides professional development support to teachers to assist them in implementing the curriculum. The PSCP is engaged in a wide-range of support activities, including organising seminars for teachers, visiting schools and providing tailored support for individual schools and clusters of schools. Visual arts has already been implemented in schools. An evaluation of implementation of the primary curriculum published in 2005 concluded that the visual arts curriculum was generally being implemented successfully in schools, and that pupils were encouraged to explore, interpret and enjoy art activities, and to learn through art as well as about art. Areas for improvement identified related to planning, the integration of ICT, involvement of parents and assessment.

The in-career development programme for music took place in the school year 2004-05, with the revised curriculum being fully implemented in schools in 2005-06. In-service for drama will take place in the school year 2006-07 with implementation the following year. Once the initial in-service training for teachers is completed, ongoing support continues to be provided through the cuiditheoir service of the primary curriculum support service.

At post-primary level, there are approved syllabuses for junior certificate in music and art, craft and design. In the senior cycle, there are syllabuses in music and art. Modules in the arts are also available as part of the leaving certificate applied. In the transition year programme, schools offer a variety of modules which stimulate pupils' interest in the arts in general and which, in many cases, give them the opportunity to interact with practising artists in their own classrooms and in other contexts.

The leaving certificate syllabus in music was revised for first examination in 1999. The assessment structure allows students to specialise in the component of the course best suited to their interests and ability. The broad range of performance options available to students has increased accessibility to the subject and allows for students of diverse music backgrounds to participate in the subject. A revised syllabus in leaving certificate art has been prepared by the NCCA and will be implemented as soon as possible.

The school completion programme is designed to encourage an integrated in-school and out of school approach which encourages optimum engagement of schools with parents and community interests in disadvantaged areas. In school and out-of-school activities in the visual arts, music, and drama can play an important part in the overall strategy to promote a multifaceted and multi-intelligence response to tackling disadvantage. In addition to the above, the tin whistles for teachers initiative was announced in March 2005 under which 25,400 primary school teachers are being provided with tin whistles and in-service training in a partnership development between the Irish Recorded Music Association Trust, the primary curriculum support programme and the Department of Education and Science. The initiative was launched by the Minister with The Corrs at the National Concert Hall at an event featuring children playing the tin whistle.

In addition to supporting music in the curriculum, an additional allocation of 92.76 whole-time teaching posts are allocated to a range of VECs to support music education in the form of individual tuition in instrumental and vocal music education, and provision of supports for choirs, orchestras and ensembles. Through this, some 68,000 hours of music tuition are provided annually.