Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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393. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the measures taken, and planed, to resource secondary schools to ensure that they can implement Leaving Certificate reform, beginning in September 2025, particularly in relation to ICT and lab enhancements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9559/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Senior Cycle Redevelopment is an ambitious programme of work for a reimagined Senior Cycle of education that will significantly enrich the student experience. As the Deputy will be aware, this programme includes the revision of all Leaving Certificate Established subjects in five annual tranches, with the last tranche expected to be completed in 2029. This phased approach allows for implementation to be supported in a range of ways.

The Tranche 1 subjects to be introduced from September 2025 include revised specifications for Leaving Certificate Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Business, Ancient Greek and Arabic. Additionally, the two new subjects of Drama, Film and Theatre Studies and Climate Action and Sustainable Development will be introduced to ninety-nine Phase One Schools.

Last December, my Department issued a Science Implementation Support Grant to assist schools in rolling out the new science specifications. All schools in the free scheme received additional funding ranging from €13,000 up to €24,200, including DEIS schools receiving a 10% uplift.

Schools introducing Climate Action and Sustainable Development will receive grant support in addition to being able to avail of existing frameworks for ICT and science equipment.

Schools introducing Drama, Film and Theatre Studies will receive camera, lighting, audio, computer, and staging equipment in addition to a grant to support attendance of live performances.

All Phase One schools will receive an additional teaching allocation of four hours for 2025/26 and eight hours in 2026/27.

Specifications for each of the Tranche 1 subjects were published in September 2024 and the associated Guidelines for the completion of Additional Assessment Components (AAC) followed in December 2024. The State Examinations Commission has committed to provide four sample examination papers for each subject – two at each level, in April which is 18 months earlier than the previous norm and over two years before a student sits an exam.

Oide and the SEC are collaborating in relation to the provision of teacher training on these sample assessment materials which will be initially rolled out immediately following the Easter break this year.

This is part of the comprehensive programme of professional learning being delivered by Oide ahead of the introduction to Tranche 1. To date in this school year, whole-school professional learning experiences have had over 20,000 attendees and subject specific days in the Tranche 1 subjects are continuing in the current school year. Oide has also commenced its initial planning for a further day of TPL for Tranche 1 subject teachers in the autumn.

In relation to ICT, funding of €200m to support the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 has been committed to under the National Development Plan, building on the €210m issued under the previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020. €100m of the NDP commitment has issued to date, and it is anticipated that further grant funding for 2025 will issue before the end of the current school year. The balance of funding under the NDP will issue over the remaining years of the current strategy.

My Department and I will continue to examine how schools can be supported so that the full benefits of redevelopment can be seen, including by considering any resourcing needs and steps to address them.