Austin Deasy
Question:14 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education if she will outline the recommended number of hours per week for teaching in a primary school; and the time allocation recommended for each subject.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Primary School Teaching Hours.
The required number of hours of secular instruction in a five day week as defined by the rules for national schools is 20 hours and 50 minutes. This may be reduced by one hour per day for infants and pupils in first class.
In keeping with the principles of flexibility inherent in the structure of the new curriculum my Department do not lay down specific periods for various curriculum subjects, but advised that a certain minimum time be spent on each aspect of the curriculum day.
Unfortunately Question No. 14 was answered before Question No. 26, which really is the kernel of the issue I was hoping to raise. I questioned the Minister previously on this matter and she was in agreement with me. Will the Minister make provision in the curriculum for primary schools and in the syllabus for primary teachers for the teaching of one continental language, at least in the allocated time of 20 hours and 50 minutes.
That is what is asked in Question No. 26. In line with that I refer the Deputy to my reply to his question of 12 February 1991 in which I stated that Continental languages do not at present form part of the primary school curriculum and that the Curriculum Review Body recommended against the inclusion of a third language in the curriculum. As I said at that time, I am keeping the matter under review. It is worth pointing out that French can be taken as an option in the primary teacher training course at St. Patrick's Training College, Drumcondra and Mary Immaculate College in Limerick.
I recollect that back in February the Minister was not totally in favour of what the Curriculum Review Body had recommended.
I am now asking that the Minister make an order to ensure that a certain amount of the 20 hours and 50 minutes is set aside for the teaching of at least one continental language.
We have gone beyond the question but I am pleased to answer Deputy Deasy at any time. As I have said, the Curriculum Review Body did not support that idea. Their report had been disseminated throughout the NCEA. The debate which you and I had Deputy some months ago will, I am sure, be looked at by the members of the review body and perhaps they will come back to us on it. I prefer to proceed in an orderly manner rather than issuing diktats on the matter. However, I hope that the debate that has emerged here will be taken on board.