asked the Minister for Education the action, if any, she has taken or intends taking in order to implement the aim of The Programme for National Recovery of initiating a drive to eliminate sexism in textbooks and encourage the representation of women on all interview boards where these exist in school management structures, and of encouraging Vocational Educational Committees to provide opportunities for women to pursue second chance education.
Written Answers. - School Textbooks Sexism.
37.
Only textbooks included by my Department on an approved list may be used for secular instruction in national schools. In 1984-85 agreement was reached with Irish publishers of textbooks on guidelines based on those of the International Reading Association for evaluating sex-stereotyping in reading materials. Only textbooks which comply with these guidelines have been added to the approved list since for use in national schools. However, I accept that a problem still remains in regard to certain textbooks which were approved before the guidelines with publishers were agreed, and I am at present examining the position to see how best sexist and sex-stereotyped material can be eliminated from use in primary schools.
As regards textbooks for post-primary schools the Irish Educational Publishers' Association have assured my Department of their full co-operation in eliminating gender bias from all educational material.
I have dealt with the question of the representation of women on interview boards in my reply to Question No. 24 of today's date.
As regards provision for second-chance education, I propose to circularise vocational education committees shortly with details of my proposals in regard to the provision to be made for second chance education for adults who have left full-time education for more than one year and who hold no formal educational qualification.