Written answers

Thursday, 10 April 2008

Department of Education and Science

Education Schemes

5:00 pm

Photo of David StantonDavid Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 143: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the measures she has taken or will take to encourage girls to opt for third level science courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13765/08]

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, both girls and boys, 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 inservice 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 it has been implemented in all schools since September 2003. A revised syllabus in Junior Certificate Science was introduced in 2003 and it was examined for the first time in June 2006. I believe that 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 in senior cycle. Advice from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment in regard to reform of science at senior cycle is expected shortly. Some €16m in equipment and resource grants was provided to schools in 2004, and laboratories continue to be refurbished as part of the ongoing school building programme.

The book, Irish Innovators in Science and Technology, produced with the assistance of Enterprise Ireland and the Royal Irish Academy was distributed to all Post-Primary Schools. The Irish Scientist is distributed every year. 20 copies of a CD-rom called Up2u, produced for the National Skills Awareness Campaign on behalf of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs and Forfás, were sent to each Post-Primary School, providing information and assistance to help students make choices about subjects, colleges and careers in the areas of science, technology and engineering. Both my Department and the Discover Science programme continue to engage with school guidance counsellors on the importance of science, technology and engineering careers, and Discover Science operates a comprehensive range of initiatives to promote the attractiveness of careers in this area.

The WITS initiative (Women in Science and Technology) was launched in 1990 to actively promote women in technology and science. It organises regional information and recruitment workshops, a Re-Enter programme which provides on line training, support and mentoring and an internship in industry for 20 women aiming to return to science careers, organises the provision of plaques to commemorate female role models in science and technology, and provides information generally on opportunities for women in the sector.

In the Leaving Certificate examinations in 2007, females participation rates in Physics and Chemistry at Higher level were 30% and 58% female respectively, and at Ordinary Level were 16% and 46% respectively.

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