Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his plans to provide an updated mathematics syllabus for the second level senior cycle; the timetable for its implementation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7785/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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On foot of advice received from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), work is now underway for reform of Junior and Senior Cycle mathematics which is designed to provide for the phased implementation of syllabus change in maths. The Project Maths initiative is designed to encourage better understanding of maths, to reinforce the practical relevance of maths to everyday life, and to ensure better continuity between primary and second level, and junior and senior cycle. The initiative started in 2008 and is being piloted in 24 schools. The curriculum changes will be phased in over three years and mainstreaming will begin in 2010, prefaced by a national programme of professional development for teachers beginning in 2009.

Starting in the Project schools allows the opportunmity to trial the changes and to develop lesson plans and exemplars for teachers at the same time. It will help to ensure that the optimum level of resources are available in advance, when the changes are introduced in the mainstream system, beginning in September 2010. It will enable the student experience, which is central to effective learning, to feed into the final syllabus development so that we can ensure the best possible approach to ensuring relevance and quality in the new reforms. The NCCA website www.ncca.ie. sets out the draft syllabus for Strands 1 and 2 at junior and senior cycle, a draft common Mathematics course for the first year in junior cycle, and a Geometry course. The website www.ProjectMaths.ie sets out additional supports in the form of teaching and learning plans, a forum for teachers, and additional resources. These resources will expand over time.

Project Maths is being implemented on a phased basis covering the following five strands of mathematics:

Phase 1 — Strand 1 statistics and probability; Strand 2 geometry and trigonometry

Phase 2 — Strand 3 number; Strand 4 algebra

Phase 3 — functions

Phase 3 will have begun in all schools in 2012, and will be fully implemented in all class groups by 2015.