Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1417: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to give the opportunity to second level students to acquire an ECDL qualification in computers by the time they leave school. [47975/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware the curriculum in schools is devised on the basis that ICT is not a subject but rather a tool to be integrated into the teaching and learning of all subjects. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has developed an ICT framework which sets out a structured approach to ICT in curriculum and assessment. The Framework sets out the types of learning appropriate for students during the period of compulsory education and provides a guide to teachers for embedding ICT across the curriculum. It is being supported by the NCCA's Action website which provides exemplars of teaching and learning in different settings and shows the classroom application of learning outcomes and demonstrations in the ICT framework. The overall implementation of the ICT in Schools Programme is supported by the National Centre for Technology in Education, which provides for extensive training and guidance for schools on the integration of ICT into teaching and learning.

The European Computer Driving Licence is a widely used private sector qualification providing basic competences in a range of functions such as wordprocessing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, web browsing and e-mail. There are also other qualifications attesting to similar or higher levels of skill, some of which are included in the national framework of qualifications. The 2005 census of post-primary schools undertaken by the National Centre for Technology in Education indicates that 74% of post primary schools offered external certification in ICT, primarily using ECDL. Other awards in ICT offered included FETAC, City and Guilds, Royal Society of Arts, Microsoft, etc. The Evaluation Report, ICT in Schools, undertaken by my Department's Inspectorate found that some 70% of post-primary schools surveyed provided ECDL courses for their students, while 28% provided FETAC Courses.