Richard Bruton
Question:151 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the proportion of primary pupils who are now receiving a science module; and the number of hours per week being provided. [9247/03]
Written Answers - Science Teaching.
Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Dempsey)
A developmental project in science has been undertaken in over 300 schools through the primary curriculum support programme whereby teachers attended introductory and curriculum workshops followed by school and classroom support.
The purpose of this project was to prepare for the introduction of social, environmental and scientific education, SESE: science in the primary school curriculum by enabling selected schools to experience the approaches and methodologies promoted in the science curriculum, develop strategies which will facilitate the introduction of SESE: science, explore the range of materials necessary for teaching science, build capacity towards implementation of SESE: science school support provided by the primary curriculum support programme science team allowed trainers to work alongside teachers in undertaking science activities.
In-career development in science is being provided for all primary teachers in the current school year by the primary curriculum support programme by means of three days' inservice training, two days seminars and one day planning. The content covers all the strands of the curriculum, living things, energy and forces, materials and environmental care. Four weeks intensive training has been provided for science trainers and the in-career development programme for teachers is now under way.
The primary science curriculum will be introduced to primary schools in the 2003-04 school year, when it is expected that most schools will begin to implement it. While many schools may have already informally begun to implement the curriculum, my Department does not have the details requested by the Deputy in relation to these schools. When the curriculum is formally implemented the time allocated to science will be within the allocation of the three hours per week period given to SESE.
Richard Bruton
Question:152 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the proportion of primary teachers who have completed inservice training in the new science module. [9248/03]
The science training element of the revised primary curriculum support programme comprises three days, two inservice seminar days together with an in-school planning day. All 23,000 primary teachers have completed their first inservice day. Most have completed their in-school planning day in preparation for the final inservice seminar day. The final seminar days commenced in March. Approximately 6,000 teachers have now completed all of the science training.
Richard Bruton
Question:153 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the trend in the numbers taking physics, chemistry and biology at leaving certificate, distinguishing male and female and honours and ordinary level in each of the past five years. [9249/03]
The information requested by the Deputy is currently being compiled by my Department and will be forwarded directly to him.