Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 2 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 3

Written Answers. - School Development Planning Initiative.

Olwyn Enright

Question:

185 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the amount of money which has been spent on the school development planning initiative in each year since its launch in 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21791/03]

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

The initiative is designed to stimulate and strengthen a culture of collaborative development planning in schools. Through fostering self-review and improvement, school development planning makes an important contribution to quality assurance in the educational system. Primary schools joined the initiative on a phased basis since September 1999. Inservice training in school development planning has been provided for all primary schools since September 2002. At second level inservice training in school development planning has been provided for all schools since the inception of the initiative.

The amount of money spent by my Department on the initiative since 1999 is as follows:

Primary Level

1999	£368,210 (€467,530)
2000	£744,695 (€945,568)
2001	£996,110 (€1,264,799)
2002	€1,215,598.

Second Level

1999	£560,622 (€711,843)
2000	£760,305 (€965,388)
2001	£850,500 (€1,079,912)
2002	€1,129,285.

Olwyn Enright

Question:

186 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of schools that participated in the school development planning initiative launched in 1999 which have actually completed the school plans as required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21792/03]

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

The purpose of the initiative is to stimulate and strengthen a culture of collaborative development planning in schools. School development planning is an ongoing process in which policies and plans evolve from the ever changing and developing needs of the school community. Accordingly, no school plan is ever truly completed.

Schools at primary level joined the initiative on a phased basis since September 1999. Inservice training in school development planning has been provided for all schools since September 2002. All schools that have participated in the initiative have put in place development plans for aspects of their practice and operation.

At post-primary level inservice training in school development planning has been provided for all schools since the inception of the initiative. A survey of 209 post-primary schools conducted in the first half of 2002 revealed that 91% had engaged in the school development planning process by June 2002.

The initiative continues to provide support for schools in furthering the process of development planning.