asked the Minister for Education whether, in the light of experience in other countries as to the high value of radio as an educational medium, he is prepared to take steps to make radio programmes available in all schools.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Broadcasts for Schools.
I should like to refer the Deputy to the first part of an answer given to a similar question put by Deputy Little in February of this year. I intimated on that occasion that the Department had more than once considered the question of arranging broadcasts for schools, but that, after an exhaustive survey of the position, I had come to the conclusion that the educational benefits which might accrue would not be at all commensurate with the cost involved, nor with the amount of time and energy which would have to be expended in organising and selecting suitable and acceptable programmes.
I am not aware as to what evidence can be adduced to substantiate that radio is regarded in other countries as having, in relation to school work, a high educational value. Much of the information available to the Department would go to show that there is by no means unanimity of opinion on the matter and that teachers, in particular, complain of the difficulty in preserving and maintaining the receiving sets and of fitting into a time-table of serious work what is generally regarded by the pupils as an interlude of relaxation and amusement.
Surely the Minister is aware that, both in England and America, the use of radio is regarded as of very high educational value?
Are we to understand that the Minister has consulted with representatives of the teachers' organisation on this matter and has heard expressed the views to which he has referred?
No, I have not personally consulted the teachers' organisation here, but a fairly general inquiry has been made.
Would it surprise the Minister to know that the view expressed by many teachers and the attitude adopted by their organisation is that the fullest possible use should be made of radio in the schools?
They have yet to express by correspondence, documents or any other way their convictions on that point.