Interim curriculum guidelines for the programme of relationships and sexuality education have been developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The process of developing the programme has involved extensive consultation with the partners in education through a special implementation group which I established and which continues to meet regularly.
I am satisfied that the interim guidelines are appropriate and have been developed to meet the needs of pupils of all ages in schools.
I have no plans to formally publish the guidelines. However, the guidelines for junior infants to second class were disseminated to all primary school staffs at training seminars during the summer term of the 1995-96 school year. The completed guidelines, to sixth class, are currently being distributed in the context of training for all primary teachers and are available from my Department. Guidelines for post-primary schools have been circulated at information seminars for post-primary principals and will be distributed to post-primary teachers at their training days and will be available from my Department.
Each managerial authority at primary and post-primary levels will receive a copy of the guidelines shortly. In addition, following their dissemination as part of the training process, copies of the interim guidelines are available to interested persons on request.