Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 26 Feb 2003

Vol. 562 No. 2

Written Answers - Schools Curricula.

Seán Crowe

Question:

179 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a new survey from the ESRI suggests that one of the reasons for the large fall-off of students taking science subjects at secondary level is that many schools, hamstrung by under funding from his Department, cannot provide subjects such as physics and chemistry due to a lack of facilities; and his plans to address this state of affairs. [5870/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

The study by the Economic and Social Research Institute referred to by the Deputy set out to identify the processes which influence the choice of science subjects and higher level mathematics at senior cycle and in the transition to higher education. The study identified several factors that influence the numbers of students opting to study the sciences at senior cycle.

In addition to objective student characteristics, for example, gender, these factors include school policy in relation to the allocation of science subjects and the students' experience of science in the junior cycle. In relation to the latter, the report refers to the importance of a suitable programme of practical work which encourages student participation in classroom activity. In this context, the study welcomes the emphasis on science investigation and the revised assessment procedures proposed in the draft junior certificate science syllabus prepared by a course committee of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. Work on this draft syllabus is nearing completion.

The task force on the physical sciences was set up with a brief to devise and recommend additional measures to improve participation rates in physics, chemistry and related courses at second and third level. Discussions on the implementation of the recommendations contained in the task force report are on-going. I am at present exploring possible ways forward within the parameters of current budgetary allocations. I intend to prioritise key areas and to approach the implementation of the recommendations on a phased basis.

My Department already has an ongoing programme of school building and development, including laboratory provision. Schools that currently have a capital project in architectural planning will have their science laboratories upgraded as an integral element of the capital project. In addition to providing laboratory space, my Department also provides grants towards the purchase of equipment. As part of the physical sciences initiative, initiated in 1999 and currently being implemented by my Department, grants in excess of €13,000 per school were made available to schools in the free education system that offer one or more of the physical science subjects at senior cycle level towards the purchase of laboratory equipment, including ICT equipment. These grants are in addition to annualper capita grants that are made available to schools.