Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 13 Nov 1996

Vol. 471 No. 5

Written Answers. - Statement by IDA Chief Executive.

James Leonard

Question:

144 Mr. Leonard asked the Minister for Education her views on a statement by the chief executive officer of the IDA that the education system needs to provide more students with the technological and language requirements sought by modern employers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21358/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

One of the basic educational aims, which is set out in the White Paper on Education Charting our Education Future, is to provide students with the necessary education and training to support the country's economic development and to make their particular contribution to society in an effective way. This aim underpins the process of reform in the education system.

The Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) is one particular initiative in the second level sector which responds to the changing work and business environment. A central focus of the programme is to foster a spirit of innovation and initiative in young people by developing vocational, technological, communicative and interpersonal skills within the same programme.

Modern European languages are an integral part of the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme as well as in the established Leaving Certificate Programme. The improvement of the teaching and learning of languages in our second-level schools has been one of my policy priorities since I became Minister. The White Paper on Education stipulates that all second level students should have access to the study of a modern European language.

In the ongoing phased reform of the established Leaving Certificate subject syllabuses there is an increased emphasis on the vocational orientation of all subjects. The languages, French, German, Spanish and Italian are among the subjects on the revised syllabuses which already have been introduced for examination in 1997 and after. One of the main features of these revised language syllabuses is the increased emphasis on oral language. The percentage of marks allocated to oral and listening skills is being increased from 30 per cent to 45 per cent in the Leaving Certificate, for both higher and ordinary levels, beginning in 1997.

At third level the question of the supply of graduates in information technology has been under review. The annual output of graduates in the computer sciences has increased steadily over the years and has doubled since 1986. In the 1996-97 academic year the number of places in one year post-graduate courses in software under the EU-funded advanced technical skills programme has been increased from 150 to 600.

I also announced in September 1995 that the Government had approved a £60 million capital development initiative funded equally by the State and the private sector to provide an additional 6,200 places in the universities by the year 2000. Emphasis has been placed on the provision of additional numbers in the computer science application areas and as a result 1,200 of the additional places will be in these areas.

In the languages area the third level institutions have developed a range of programmes which cross faculties and incorporate a foreign language as an integral part of the degree programme. In the main the focus in these programmes is on applied languages with a view to producing graduates to meet the needs of the economy.

The implications for the education system of the technological and language requirements of Irish industry and enterprise are, of course, kept under continuous review by my Department through a variety of processes and agencies. The specific issue of skill requirements in the area of foreign languages is currently being examined by a joint Department of Education-IDA Working Group. This is examining, in particular, the needs of the telemarketing sector. On the wider strategic aspects, my Department, is working closely with the Department of Enterprise and Employment and its agencies in identifying the long-term skills needs of the Irish economy. Clearly technological and language requirements are high priority issues in this regard.