Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 25 Mar 1998

Vol. 489 No. 1

Written Answers. - Primary School Curriculum.

Andrew Boylan

Question:

43 Mr. Boylan asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to request the NCCA to develop a programme particularly geared to the needs of pupils with disadvantages which have been highlighted in numerous reports within the primary education curriculum. [7469/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

It is a fundamental principle of the primary school curriculum that individual differences between children should be recognised and catered for in the school programme. It posits that the curriculum should be sufficiently flexible to allow each child to progress at an appropriate pace and to achieve satisfaction and success at his-her own level. The report of the Review Body on the Primary Curriculum, 1990, was supportive of the retention of this principle in any future review of the curriculum.

The revised primary curriculum being completed by the NCCA also takes account of the need to cater for individual differences. Its broad objectives are set down in a format which requires that due account should be taken of intrinsic abilities and varying circumstances among pupils. As an earnest of its concern for pupils whose needs are different or who may be disadvantaged in some way, the NCCA is preparing an issues booklet entitled Differentiation, which will accompany and inform the main curriculum statements and teacher guidelines. The NCCA has also recently established a working group on pupils with special education needs.

These initiatives by the NCCA are designed to support and enhance the work already being done in schools for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. This programme of special measures is designed to offset the potentially damaging effects of social and economic disadvantage on success at school. The programme includes measures such as the allocation of additional concessionary teaching posts, homeschool-community liaison programmes, the appointment of teacher-counsellors and the Early Start and Breaking the Cycle initiatives.