Written Answers - Arts Education.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:
221
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the extent to which he proposes to enhance the promotion of the arts in all schools at primary and secondary level; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[11056/01]
Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods): The primary school curriculum, 1999, affirms the centrality of the arts in primary education and incorporates the subjects visual arts, music and drama within the curriculum area arts education. The curriculum envisages that all children will have access to a range of experiences in arts education which will enable them to communicate their ideas, feelings, insights and experiences through image, music, language, gesture and movement. It also envisages that children will have opportunities to respond as viewers, listeners or readers to their own work and to the expressive creativity of artists, composers, writers and performers. When planning for the implementation of arts education, schools are encouraged to develop relationships with local and national artists and arts institutions such as concert halls, art galleries and museums so that children are enabled to experience visual arts, music and drama in such settings.
By June 2001 all 21,000 primary teachers will have had access to comprehensive in-career development in visual arts as part of a phased programme for all primary teachers organised through the primary curriculum support programme, PCSP. From September 2001, a regional curriculum advisory service, operated by the PCSP and the Education Centre network, will assist schools with the implementation of the visual arts curriculum. Similar programmes in music and drama will be organised in future phases of the national support programme.
To assist schools in buying the materials and resources necessary for the implementation of the visual arts curriculum, I arranged for the issue of a visual arts grant to all primary schools in autumn 2000, at a rate of £5.50 per pupil or, for schools with 60 pupils or less, a minimum of £330. In addition, in December 2000, I disbursed a further £6.1 million pounds to support primary schools in their implementation of all aspects of arts education. This capitation grant amounts to £13 per pupil, or a minimum of £780 for schools with 60 pupils or less. This funding for the arts is part of the Government's continued commitment to investment in primary education.
At second level, the new leaving certificate music syllabus is now very well established and preparations for the introduction of a revised syllabus for leaving certificate art are well under way. The implementation of this syllabus will be accompanied by a comprehensive programme of in-career development for teachers. The introduction of this syllabus will result in a significant increase in interest in art as a subject at senior cycle.
In the transition year programme, schools offer a variety of modules which stimulate pupils' interest in the arts in general and which, in many cases, give them the opportunity to interact with practising artists in their own classrooms and in other contexts.
