Vol. 535 No. 1
653 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will consider providing special driving training classes and driving tests for transition year students as part of their curriculum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11932/01]
The transition year programme aims to allow students space to mature, to develop their study skills through exposure to innovative learning experiences and to give them experience of the world of work and the opportunity to reflect on that experience. The curriculum for the transition year in any given school is designed by that school in accordance with guidelines issued by my Department. One initiative taken by a school in Crumlin includes a module taken by students in transition year, with driving lessons for the same students in the course of their leaving certificate course, at the end of which they may apply to sit their driving test. It would be open to other schools to consider if they wish to take this approach. It would not, however, be appropriate to say that a particular area of learning will necessarily find a place in all transition year programmes.
The fact that transition year students are not normally more than 16 years of age when they complete the transition year programme makes it impractical to provide "driving tests" for them.
There are many modules available to schools that cover the areas of driving safety and road awareness in general. Some of these offer a combination of theory and simulated driving experience. Some are devised by individual schools. Some have been provided over the years by a range of bodies including the health promotion unit, the National Safety Council, the Garda Síochána and local authorities.
At my request, the NCCA set in place a task force in autumn, 2000, to look at this whole area of driver education. The task force has just submitted its report to me and I will examine its recommendations in the coming weeks. The curriculum for primary and post-primary schools also includes the broader areas of traffic awareness and road safety awareness, as part of the social, personal and health education syllabus.
