Vol. 569 No. 3
250 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if the revised timetable submitted by South Sligo Summer School, Tubbercurry, County Sligo, will be approved; when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17475/03]
South Sligo Summer School submitted an application for the inclusion of a course entitled Folk and Other Dances for the Primary School in the Department's approved summer course programme 2003, to Marino Institute of Education in February 2003. The Marino institute administers the programme on behalf of the Department. The application was assessed by members of my Department's inspectorate, in accordance with the defined criteria for the programme as outlined in the relevant circular. In this regard, it should be noted that the criteria for inclusion in the programme were amended in 2003 and course organisers were advised that courses in curricular areas were required to reflect clearly the strands/strand units, content, methodologies and assessment practices promoted in the primary school curriculum. Furthermore, course organisers were advised that courses which focused on a single strand or strand unit of the curriculum would not be approved.
The inspectorate considered that the course submitted by South Sligo Summer School only focused on one strand of the curriculum and as such did not satisfy the revised criteria for the approval of courses. South Sligo Summer School, following notification of the Department's decision in this regard, subsequently appealed the decision. The timetable and the content of the course were amended to include aspects relating to the games strand of the physical education element of the primary school curriculum. The appeal was considered. However, it was concluded that despite the amendments to the timetable and content, the course did not sufficiently meet the criteria for approval of summer courses and accordingly the decision was not changed. South Sligo Summer School has recently been advised by Marino Institute of Education of the outcome of its appeal.
