Austin Deasy
Question:69 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to gear the education of children towards a specific occupation where there are employment prospects.
Written Answers. - Preparation for Employment.
The fundamental task in the education of children is the promotion of their moral, spiritual, intellectual, aesthetic and social and physical development and their preparation for adult life including work life. The present senior cycle of secondary education prepares students for the important transition from school to the world of work through a range of programmes, specifically, the Transition Year Programme, the Vocational Preparation and Training Programme 1, the Senior Certificate Programme and the Leaving Certificate including the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme.
As has been stated in the White Paper — Growth Competitiveness and Employment — a society based far more on the production, transfer and sharing of knowledge than on trade in goods must recognise that access to theoretical and practical knowledge has a major role to play in an economic system.
The Government in its response to the Moriarty Task Force on the Implementation of the Culliton report accepted the recommendation that it is necessary to strengthen the vocational orientation and relevance of particular subject options in secondary schools so as to provide an adequate platform for young people to proceed, at around the age of 18 years, to develop advanced, highly-rated skills for work as part of their post-secondary formation. In this context, the Deputy will be aware that I have already announced a fundamental restructuring of the senior cycle.
There will now be the option of a three-year senior cycle for pupils after Junior Certificate. This three-year option contains: the Transition Year Programme, the Leaving Certificate Programme, the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme and the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme.
These programmes offer a significant increase in options for students at the senior cycle. The Transition Year Programme is to be made widely available to schools and this one year programme will allow students to develop educationally and personally without academic examination pressure. The content of all subjects in the Leaving Certificate Programme is being reviewed and updated by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. The Leaving Certificate Applied Programme, the fundamental goal of which is to prepare pupils for transition from the world of school to adult and working life will assimilate the VPT 1 and Senior Certificate Programmes. The subject base of the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme is being expanded. It is designed to foster in pupils a spirit of enterprise and initiative and develop their interpersonal, vocational and technological skills, in addition to providing pupils with opportunities for third-level and further education. The LCVP will enhance pupils' preparation for the world of work, either as employees or in self-employment.
The Deputy will also be aware that my Department operates a VPT 2 Programme — Post-Leaving Certificate courses — for some 17,000 students. This offers a wide range of courses which are vocationally specific and also provide for the areas of personal development and work experience.