Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

86. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied). [40340/24]

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

I would like to thank the Deputy for the questions raised and would advise the following:

Arising from the 2018-19 review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in primary and post-primary schools, the need to update the curriculum was identified as a key priority. This updating work began with Junior Cycle SPHE and more recently the Minister has approved an updated SPHE curriculum for Senior Cycle.

The new Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum specification was introduced in September 2023 for all first years. It has four strands: Understanding Myself and Others; Making Healthy Choices; Relationship and Sexuality; and Emotional Wellbeing. The aim of the course is to build students’ self-awareness and positive self-worth; to develop the knowledge, understanding, skills, dispositions and values that will support them to lead fulfilling and healthy lives; empower them to create, nurture and maintain respectful and loving relationships with self and others; and enhance their capacity to contribute positively to society.

Teaching and learning with this new curriculum is designed to be appropriate for the age and stage of development of students, whether in first year, second year or third year. This is based on research and the extensive public consultation led by the NCCA in 2022.

Any suggestion that teachers would be expected to teach or introduce explicit content or topics is false. The curriculum categorically does not expose children to graphic or explicit content or normalise the use of pornography. On the contrary, key messages would be that pornography is not a good place to go to learn about sex, that it can be disturbing and even damaging for young people, and that it is incompatible with values of human dignity, respect, and gender equality.

In accordance with Section 30 of the Education Act, 1998, parents have a right to have their children opt out of classes which are contrary to the conscience of the parent if they so wish.

In regard to the Graduate Diploma in SPHE/RSE provided by Dublin City University (DCU) Institute of Education, this programme aims to upskill post-primary teachers of SPHE/RSE for classes to Senior Cycle level. It was developed following a tendering process and is fully academically accredited through DCU’s quality assurance processes for any new programme.

It is understood that a video has been circulating suggesting that teachers will be expected to introduce certain explicit and inappropriate topics and materials in the classroom. DCU have confirmed this is categorically not the case. Teachers participating in the DCU programme will be involved in critical exploration of resources and content related to SPHE, including examples used internationally as well as materials accessed by children and young adults directly. These materials are not intended for use in the classroom but to support teachers in discussing difficult and sensitive topics as they arise. As such, the material studied and viewed by teachers on the course is provided to them as adults and it is clearly understood that no inappropriate graphic or explicit material should ever be used in a classroom.

Oide, the Teacher Education Support Service, which is funded by the Department of Education, has designed, and provided teacher professional learning (TPL) for Junior Cycle SPHE. This began in March of 2023 and continued in the 2023-2024 school year with focus in the first year being on the Introduction to the SPHE specification. Focus is not limited to the first year as a comprehensive approach is taken with topics included such as pedagogical approaches, self-preparation for teaching SPHE and guidance on planning for the teaching of SPHE.

More than 1000 teachers have attended this training so far and further opportunity will be available to attend this training in the 2024-2025 school year capacity for 900 teachers.

In addition, Oide also offers a workshop on RSE in Junior Cycle Teaching Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) across the Strands of the Junior Cycle SPHE Specification. This explores different teaching and learning pedagogical approaches relevant to facilitating RSE and it explores a range of resources available to support teaching and learning in RSE. These resources are all available through the NCCA’s portal. 445 teachers attended this training in the 2023-2024 school year.

In parallel there has been a lot of work done to develop teaching and learning resources that guide teachers – these are on the NCCA’s online portal at curriculumonline.ie and they are discussed in the Oide workshops.

From 2025, Oide will also be focusing on providing TPL for the new Senior Cycle SPHE specification with 60 events scheduled with a maximum capacity for 1800 teachers.

This is a very considerable level of provision and the SPHE team at Oide has increased significantly this year by more than doubling the team of professional learning leaders.

Regarding Senior Cycle SPHE, it is envisaged that this would provide a dedicated space and time where students can further develop the knowledge and skills to support their own wellbeing now and, in the future. This will be grounded in the values of respect, equality, inclusivity, responsibility, dignity, compassion, and empathy. These young people are developing their capacity to think and behave more independently, they will experience significant change in different aspects of their lives and challenge, this programme aims to give them knowledge and skills to help them manage these challenges.

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

87. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full year costs of increasing the Bringing Live Arts to Students and Teachers Programme to include an extra 75 schools. [40351/24]

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

Bringing Live Arts to Students and Teachers Programme, known as BLAST, aims to provide pupils in schools all over the country, time and the space to work with a professional artist/creative practitioner on imaginative, creative and fun projects.

BLAST is a key Department of Education initiative of the Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027 which aims to foster creativity in schools focus and to provide young people with opportunities to learn and develop the key skills and competencies of collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, and innovation.

BLAST residencies are designed and developed between the artist/creative practitioner, teacher, students and the school community under the coordination of the 21 full-time Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI) network.

Schools and YouthReach centres apply for a BLAST Residency via a centralised online application link which will be processed by their local full-time ESC. Applications will be assessed and scored against the following criteria: Previous ESCI creative youth application success, Benefits to teaching and learning, Capacity and commitment, Children and young peoples' participation in decision making and Supporting access to creativity.

Creative practitioners on the BLAST Register of Artists and Creative Practitioners have been trained and have engaged in school residencies under the Teacher-Artist Partnership+ (TAP+) professional development initiative which is approved and led by the Department of Education.

In March of this year, I was delighted to confirm that. with the funding available, 425 schools were successful in their application to participate in the BLAST programme 2024/2025.

An artist's fee of €1,100 is paid per school residency, and administration costs also arise in managing, delivering and overseeing the BLAST programme. Accordingly, it is estimated that a cost of €100,000 would be required to expand the BLAST programme to benefit 75 additional schools above the 425 successful applications selected this year, including an indicative amount for administration costs.