Vol. 476 No. 3
105 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education the nominating bodies to each board under the aegis of her Department; the number of seats to which each of these bodies nominate; and the guidelines or instructions given to nominating bodies to assist in achieving gender balance in line with Government policy. [6966/97]
The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. I am arranging to have the information forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
106 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education the mechanisms used by her Department to ensure that policies, programmes and decisions are proofed to assess their impact on women; the training available to those officials responsible for gender proofing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6998/97]
107 Ms Keogh asked the Minister for Education the initiatives, if any, taken by her Department in 1995 and 1996 which were targeted at women; the budget allocated to each initiative; the actual amount spent on each; the budget for her Department in each of the years 1995 and 1996; and the amount of that budget exclusive of direct staffing and overhead costs. [7014/97]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 106 and 107 together.
The principle of gender equality underpins all the initiatives undertaken by the Department of Education. Equality was one of the basic principles underpinning the White Paper, "Charting Our Education Future", and statutory underpinning is given to this principle in the Universities Bill, 1996, the Education Bill, 1997 and other legislation in place in the education area.
It is the policy of my Department to promote gender equity in education and to eliminate sexism and sex-stereotyping. A working group in my Department monitors and co-ordinates activities relating to the equality of opportunity for girls and boys. Equality issues in the areas of curriculum, in-career development, employment, administration, inspection and management are monitored regularly and improvements will continue to be made on an ongoing basis in all areas of the education system.
All curricula, textbooks and examination papers are gender proofed, and research into gender issues has been undertaken by the Department, some third level institutions and the Economic and Social Research Institute.
All institutions participating in ESF aided programmes are encouraged to pay particular attention to equal opportunities in the planning of courses and the recruitment of trainees and to the need to expose both sexes to a broader range of occupational experiences than those traditionally offered. The criteria for admission of students to programmes are applied equally to both sexes.
As part of the strategic management initiative's increased focus on training, a wide range of training courses, including equality training courses, are available to officials in my Department.
Equality modules are featured in pre-service training programmes for staff in schools and colleges. All inservice courses funded by the Department are required to contain a gender equality module. Twenty-one primary teachers have been trained as trainers in gender equality issues and an information pack containing guidelines for teachers on the promotion of equal opportunities was circulated to all primary schools in 1994. In addition, to assist persons organising summer courses in organising effective gender equality inputs, regional seminars are organised in advance of the summer programme to explore appropriate in-service strategies. The seminars are led by expert trainers in the area of gender equality. Finally, a number of third level institutions currently offer courses in women's studies.
While all initiatives taken in my Department are targeted equally at women and men, a number of specific projects have been undertaken to improve the level of gender equality in the education system.
|
Project |
Allocation |
Spent |
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
ESF-related projects |
717,600 |
42,565 |
|
Introduction of Physics and Chemistry to girls or co-educational schools where it was not previously available. |
113,400 |
72,599 |
|
Dissemination of ESRI Research relating to co-education at post-primary level. |
12,000 |
512 |
|
Compensatory Education Programmes for women seeking to re-enter the education system (3rd level). |
100,000 |
100,000 |
|
Transnational project in co-educational schools to develop gender equality materials. |
14,000 |
14,000 |
|
Women in Educational Management. |
15,000 |
3,252 |
|
Preparation of materials for providers of in-service training to primary teachers. |
45,000 |
43,366 |
|
Exhibition in Cork regional technical college to promote interest in science, technology and engineering. |
5,000 |
1,137 |
|
Project |
Allocation |
Spent |
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
ESF-related projects |
419,000 |
Nil |
|
Introduction of Physics and Chemistry to girls or co-education schools where it was not previously available. |
85,000 |
52,944.04 |
|
Gender Matters — Provision of materials for In-Service training |
50,000 |
17,322.3 |
|
Research into co-education at post-primary level |
67,000 |
37,000 |
|
Dissemination of above Research |
10,000 |
Nil |
|
Intervention project in single-sex boys' schools to promote gender equality awareness in post-primary second level boys schools |
14,000 |
Nil |
|
Balance — Transnational project in co-educational schools to develop gender equality materials |
8,000 |
8,000 |
|
Compensatory education programmes for women seeking to re-enter the educational system |
80,000 |
80,000 |
|
1995 |
1996 |
|
|
Department budget |
£2.071 billion |
£2.195 billion |
|
Department budget without direct staffing and overhead costs |
£2.044 billion |
£2.169 billion |
