Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 10 Jun 2003

Vol. 568 No. 1

Written Answers. - Task Force on Science.

Dinny McGinley

Question:

162 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of recommendations in the task force on science which have been implemented partially and which have been implemented in full; the number for which implementation has been initiated; the number of recommendations outstanding; and the recommendations which have been done at all. [15826/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Dempsey)

There are some 39 recommendations in the report of the task force with costed proposals totalling €244 million extra, of which €66.3 million is a recurring annual cost. Funds are not available at present to progress the strategy on the scale recommended in the report. Of the 39 recommendations, four are not for the education sector. Of the remainder, partial progress has been made on 19, work has been initiated on a further six and no progress has been made on the remaining ten at this stage.

In particular, important progress has been made in regard to: curricular reform and inservice support, with new syllabi already implemented in leaving certificate biology and physics and chemistry; revised syllabi in primary science and junior certificate science beginning in schools in 2003-04; and work under way on a new leaving certificate physical sciences syllabus to replace the physics and chemistry combined syllabus. All of these developments are being or have been supported by-national inservice programmes for teachers; resourcing, with substantial grants issued to schools at primary level in 1999, 2001 and 2002; an additionalper capita grant for physics and chemistry at leaving certificate; a capital grants programme for senior cycle science ICT and science equipment; allied with the recent announcement of a once-off grant scheme, likely to cost of the order of €12 million to support the implementation of the new junior certificate science syllabus ICT integration projects in teaching and learning under the schools IT initiative, and a new immerse initiative in partnership with RTE, NCCA and the National Centre for Technology in Education provision of materials and publications to schools to promote the attractiveness and relevance of science for students as a subject option and career path reviews on mathematics, grading of subjects in the leaving certificate, gender equity issues in science, and initial reports on teacher training undertaken awareness measures supported by industry and third level colleges linking with schools; foundation, bridging and progression measures to promote access to third level education and quality assurance initiatives in third level, including the sciences, development of a national framework of qualifications by the National Qualifications Authority as an important step in developments to improve access, promote flexible assessment and accreditation processes, and enhance mobility across the further and higher education and training sectors.

This work continues to be progressed and enhanced as resources permit in collaboration and consultation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Fórfas and industry. My Department is fully committed to strengthening the quality of science teaching and learning, promoting increased scientific literacy and encouraging more students to choose science subjects at senior cycle and progress to third level options in this critical area as a vitally important part of the national strategy to support competitiveness and employment.