Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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481. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if geography will be made a compulsory core subject at junior cycle in all post-primary schools given it is the stated intention of her Department to introduce climate change and sustainable development as a new leaving certificate subject in 2024 (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22732/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has every confidence that, through the implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle the place of Geography will be retained and given a new impetus across the Junior Cycle curriculum. As part of the rollout of the Framework for Junior Cycle, Geography was one of five new subject specifications that were introduced to schools in September 2018.

The Junior Cycle has been developed over several years with the final phase of new subject specifications introduced to schools in September 2019. The Framework for Junior Cycle gives students the opportunity to develop a wider range of knowledge and skills – to equip them for further learning, for work, for responsible and active citizenship, and for healthy living. It gives students better learning opportunities, and rewards and recognises non-academic performance and achievements, with a central focus on the student’s quality of life, wellbeing and mental health.

The Framework for Junior Cycle focuses on active and collaborative learning. It gives greater flexibility and autonomy to schools in terms of subject selection, and short courses, to tailor a student’s learning to achieve better outcomes for that student. Students are able to study up to 10 subjects for certification through the Junior Cycle Profile of Achievement.

We have a dedicated cohort of Geography teachers in our post-primary schools, who are promoting the inclusion of their subject within programmes provided to students by their schools. Through the implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 the curricular significance of Geography has been retained and given a new impetus across the Junior Cycle curriculum.

As the Deputy is aware, as part of the reforms I announced on 29 March two new subjects ‘Drama, Film and Theatre Studies’ and ‘Climate Action and Sustainable Development’, will be introduced for Leaving Certificate students, starting in September 2024 in network schools.

Both subjects were raised as suggested subjects at different stages of the review of Senior Cycle carried out by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). I have requested the NCCA to develop these new subject areas as a matter of priority.

I can advise the Deputy that my Department, together with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, are currently finalising the 2^ndNational Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030. A joint public consultation has been conducted and the results have informed the direction of ESD to 2030 which will also have an accompanying implementation plan for 2022 to 2026.

Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) has three strands: Environmental, Political and Social and is both a target in itself under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 4.7), and also acknowledged as a key enabler for achievement of all 17 SDGs.

Under the first ESD strategy 2014 – 2020, significant work was done integrating ESD themes and principles into the curriculum at all levels, into the assessment and inspection processes and into Initial teacher education and continuing professional development. ESD to 2030 will build on this work ensuring that the 2030 target is met. This work also contributes to SDG 13 - Climate Action, and to Ireland's Climate Action Plan.

ESD to 2030 will be built on the UNESCO framework for ESD for 2030 and will be built on the five key priority areas set out therein, i.e. policy alignment, transforming learning environments, capacity building, empowering and mobilising youth and community engagement.

It will aim to extend ESD beyond the classroom into non-formal and informal education settings, it will aim to empower learners to take action individually and in their communities for sustainable development, it will map ESD related CPD, programmes and resources to identify and address any gaps in order to further support the teaching and learning of ESD, it will work with a wider range of Departments, organisations and NGOs to ensure policy alignment and to develop tools to capture, monitor and report on progress. ESD to 2030 will also seek to increase opportunities for learners to develop skills by taking action e.g. through project work at individual and community level.

It is expected that ESD to 2030 and its accompanying implementation plan 2022 - 2025 will be published in Q2 2022