Written answers

Tuesday, 25 January 2022

Department of Education and Skills

School Curriculum

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

365. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to develop and or introduce gender-focused sexual education in all areas of the education sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2959/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Access to sexual and health education is an important right for students. Schools have a responsibility to provide for this, in consultation with parents, having regard to the ethos of the school. Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary junior cycle. Relationships and Sexuality Education (or RSE) is required at all levels, from primary through to senior cycle.

The Programme for Government states that ‘this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools, including an inclusive programme on LGBTI+ relationships’ .

In April 2018, the then Minister for Education and Skills asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to undertake a major review of RSE in schools across all stages of education to ensure that it is fit for purpose and meets the needs of young people today in modern Ireland.

The NCCA was asked to look at a number of specific issues in respect of RSE and the curriculum. These included but were not limited to consent; developments in relation to contraception; healthy positive, sexual expression and relationships; safe use of the Internet and social media and its effects on relationships and self-esteem; and LGBTQ+ matters.

The NCCA has established two development groups, one for primary and one for post-primary, to oversee the work in this area and support the development of guidance material for schools.

The immediate focus of the NCCA work has been on creating support materials for teachers for publication online as part of an Interim Guidance Toolkit. The toolkit's purpose is to support effective teaching and learning of SPHE/RSE linked to the current curriculum and to provide guidance on how SPE/RSE may be approached in a comprehensive way that meets the needs of young people today. These resources cover all topics including many of the topics that have been raised in the media during recent days as important for young people's education - there are resources to help teachers in teaching about rights and responsibilities in relationships, how to recognise healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationship, how to interact safely and respectfully (both online and face-to-face), the influence of the media (including pornography) on young people's understanding and expectations, sexual consent and assertive communication.

The NCCA Toolkits will be expanded during 2022 to include further age and stage appropriate guidance for teachers on how to address these and other related topics within the SPHE classroom. The Toolkit provides practical help designed to deepen teachers' understanding and skills so that they feel more confident in addressing important and sensitive topics.

In tandem with this work, preparation for the broader redeveloping and updating of the SPHE curriculum has begun. Updated curricula will be developed for Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. It is expected that a revised Junior Cycle specification will be completed by the end of 2022, following a period of public consultation. Updated specifications for primary and senior cycle will follow immediately afterwards.

In redeveloping the SPHE curriculum, the NCCA will be making explicit the importance of fostering young people's self-awareness and self-esteem and building the foundational skills and dispositions needed for building caring and healthy relationships (including respectful communication, showing empathy, appreciating difference). The new specifications will also foster skills needed for dealing with challenging times. Consent education will be included within the learning outcomes for RSE, across all levels, based on the principle that consent is a core dimension of all healthy interpersonal relationships.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.