Written answers

Tuesday, 8 July 2014

Department of Education and Skills

School Curriculum

Photo of Dominic HanniganDominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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250. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of civic, social and political education, CSPE, teachers that consideration is being given to the idea that CSPE be dropped as a required exam in the junior cycle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29351/14]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Education about active citizenship is an integral component of the new Framework for Junior Cycle. For example, one of the 24 'Statements of Learning', that encompass the key knowledge and skills that students will develop during their junior cycle, requires that all students will "value what it means to be an active citizen with rights and responsibilities in local and wider contexts".

In addition, the 8 key skills which underpin the new Framework for Junior Cycle, include "working with others" whereby students should realise and experience how they can "contribute to making the world a better place". As junior cycle students will experience the statements of learning and key skills, it is expected that education for active citizenship will continue to be an important part of the new Junior Cycle.

The new short course in CSPE that has been developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) will be available to schools to implement, from this September, should they wish to do so as part of their Junior Cycle programme. Alternatively, schools may continue to offer the current CSPE syllabus for the up-coming academic year 2014/2015.

The new CSPE short course aims to inform, inspire, empower and enable young people to participate as active citizens in contemporary society at local, national and global levels based on an understanding of human rights and social responsibilities.

The new CSPE short course is designed for 100 hours of teaching compared to less than 70 hours for the existing CSPE syllabus.

In the context of the implementation of the new Framework for Junior Cycle the only subjects that will be "compulsory" are English, Mathematics and Irish. This decision has been taken to give schools the flexibility to develop their Junior Cycle programme mindful of the educational needs of their own students and mindful of the principles, statements of learning and key skills as set out in the Framework.

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