Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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366. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will engage with the Irish Science Teachers’ Association. [42957/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I assume the Deputy raises her question in the context of Senior Cycle Redevelopment and specifically the introduction of revised specifications in Chemistry, Physics and Biology from the start of the next school year.

The approach to the programme for Senior Cycle Redevelopment has, from its outset, been about collaboration, about engaging with stakeholders and partners in education, and about recognising and amplifying the student voice.

Collaboration and engagement are at the heart of the subject development process. This is underpinned by the diverse nature of the membership of the Subject Development Groups (SDGs) convened by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), in addition to the multi-staged public consultation process that accompanies the development of all new and revised curricula.

Through the SDGs, the Irish Science Teachers’ Association (ISTA) has been directly involved in all stages of the development process over a number of years. Its nominees, who are science teachers, are members in full of all three SDGs established by the NCCA which developed the revised specifications in Leaving Certificate Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.

I have previously welcomed ISTA’s work in the development process and I thank them for their continued interest and engagement with the process.

I am aware that ISTA shares my ambition that the introduction of the redeveloped specifications be adequately supported. The delivery of teacher professional learning by Oide is underway; guidelines on the Additional Assessment Components (AACs) in each redeveloped Science subject will be published in early November; and the Inspectorate is preparing advice for schools for spring 2025 on the scheduling of lessons in laboratory facilities. My Department is continuing to examine how schools can be further supported in the introduction of the new Science curricula.

I will work with my officials on how schools can be supported in the introduction of the new science curricula so that the full benefits of redevelopment can be seen, including considering any resourcing needs and steps to address them ahead of their introduction in 2025.

My Department will engage with the ISTA in respect of its recent correspondence in relation to Senior Cycle Redevelopment and I would be amenable to facilitating a future meeting with officials.