Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 689: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has introduced a programme on enterprise for all pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27625/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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One of the principles underpinning the Primary School Curriculum is that the child's higher order thinking and problem solving skills are developed. Through the curriculum the child is encouraged to observe, to ask relevant questions, to recognise the essence of a problem, to suggest solutions and to make informed judgements. These skills are fundamental to engendering enterprise in our young people.

At second level, students taking the Transition Year option, the Leaving Certificate Vocational programme and the Leaving Certificate Applied are provided with specific opportunities to acquire enterprise skills. These programmes place a strong focus on action learning, community-based approaches, personal development and teamwork. Students also engage in work experience.

Typically, Transition Year students engage in mini-company activities whereby they plan, develop and manage a mini enterprise or organise a major event such as a trade fair or fashion show. Teamwork, multi-disciplinary learning, interpersonal and communications skills, planning, evaluation, and mastery of business concepts are all part of this process. Approximately, 25,000 students take the Transition Year annually.

One of the Link Modules within the Leaving Certificate Vocational programme is on Enterprise Education. This is externally assessed and the results can be used for CAO points purposes. In 2005, the Link Modules were taken by 14,281 candidates.

The Tasks carried out by students taking the Leaving Certificate Applied to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired are also externally assessed.

The Leaving Certificate Business syllabus has a strong focus on enterprise. The syllabus covers marketing and starting a business, the domestic and international environment, handling conflict, enterprise skills and their application to different situations. In 2005, Leaving Certificate Business was taken by 20,502 candidates.

In the context of the future development of senior cycle, I have also asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to design, as an exemplar, a short course in enterprise education, building on the existing Links Modules. I have also requested that a review be undertaken of all Leaving Certificate subjects to embed key skills such as critical thinking and working with others and to add a second assessment component, where it does not already exist, to ensure that the objectives of the syllabuses are well assessed.