Vol. 439 No. 5
212 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education whether she has reviewed the success to date of the transitional year in schools; and the plans, if any, she has to either expand or reduce the prevalence of transitional years in schools.
The Transition Year allows students to spend an extra year in second-level education and gives them a year's break from the pressures of examination preparation. It gives them an opportunity to gain experience of the world beyond the walls of the classroom, thus broadening and enhancing their general education. It prepares them for a smooth transition to the world of work or to the next stage of their education. They develop a spirit of initiative and selfreliance and, as they grow in social and environmental awareness, they learn to become responsible and caring citizens.
The success and good practice evident in many of the schools currently providing Transition Year programmes, and in particular the potential of such programmes as a key element of the three year senior cycle, were paramount in the decision to make the Transition Year available to all schools in the future.
