Written Answers. - School Curriculum.
Trevor Sargent
Question:
283
Mr. Sargent
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
if he intends to implement any or all of the recommendations of the expert group on future skills needs report, The Supply and Demand for Skills in the Biotechnology Sector, which was published in September 2003; his views on whether, in view of the decline in interest in science among Irish young people, Government policy has failed to protect jobs and expansion prospects in science-related industries and has failed to promote adequately knowledge, applications and appreciation of science among Irish citizens; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22973/03]
Trevor Sargent
Question:
284
Mr. Sargent
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the way in which he will respond to the recommendation by the expert group on future skills needs report, The Supply and Demand for Skills in the Biotechnology Sector, that capital funding under the HEA-operated programme for research in third level institutions should be restored immediately; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[22974/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 and 284 together.
I welcome the fourth report of the expert group on future skills needs as an extremely valuable contribution to policy development. It highlights a number of trends and issues of which we as policy makers must now be cognisant in pursuit of our national strategic priorities and my Department will be working with all of the other relevant agencies concerned in seeking to make progress on these. There are two major recommendations of immediate relevance to the biotechnology sector that have been referred to by the Deputy. These relate to the continuation of capital funding for the programme for research in third-level institutions, PRTLI, and the implementation of the range of recommendations of the report of the task force on physical sciences.
In November 2002 I announced a pause in relation to all capital developments in the third-level sector, including capital projects under Cycle 3 of the PRTLI, pending clarification of the future funding position. I am well aware of the strategic importance of this programme. However, I have to balance the demand for resources for projects under PRTLI with the competing demands of many other meritorious programmes in the education area. My Department is currently engaged in the Estimates campaign with the Department of Finance, which will determine the resources available for the education sector. The allocation of the available funding on the basis of policy priorities can only be determined when the funding for 2004 for my Department is decided.
With regard to the implementation of the recommendations of the task force on the physical sciences, a number of important steps have been taken to date to arrest the decline in interest in science, which is a problem not just in Ireland but in most developed countries. In particular, important progress has been made in the following areas: curricular reform and inservice support, with new syllabuses already implemented in leaving certificate biology, physics and chemistry; revised syllabuses 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. Three days of inservice training was provided for all primary teachers to support the implementation of the primary science programme, supported by a national team of 24 trainers. Some 1,700 second level biology teachers, 900 chemistry teachers and 1,000 physics teachers received inservice training for the leaving certificate revised syllabuses, and a national programme is now being implemented for the revised junior certificate science syllabus. Further areas in which progress has been made include resourcing, with substantial grants issued to primary schools in 1999, 2001 and 2002 at a cost of €10.376 million over three years; an additionalper capita grant for physics and chemistry at leaving certificate; and a capital grants programme for senior cycle science ICT and science equipment. These are allied to the recent announcement of a once-off grant scheme, likely to cost in the order of €12 million, to support the implementation of the new junior certificate science syllabus.
Further areas in which progress has been made include the introduction of ICT integration projects in teaching and learning under the schools IT initiative and a new scope 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 of mathematics, grading of subjects in the leaving certificate, gender equality issues in science and initial reports on teacher training undertaken; awareness measures, supported by industry and third-level colleges and linking with schools; foundation, bridging and progression measures to promote access to third level education; quality assurance initiatives in third level, including the sciences; and development of a national framework of qualifications by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, NQAI, 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 advanced and enhanced as resources permit in collaboration and consultation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Forfás 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.
While the effects of these measures may only be felt in the longer term, there are already some signs of improvement. At leaving certificate level there are three main science subjects, biology, chemistry and physics. Biology remains a popular subject, with 40.3% of the cohort sitting the examination in June 2003, an increase from 39.8% in 2002. The uptake of physics and chemistry has been a cause of concern for some time. The decline in uptake of these subjects started in the 1980s and continued until recently. There was a reversal of the trend in 2002. In the leaving certificate examination of June 2002, 15.6% of the cohort took physics, up from 14.1% in 2000, and 11.7% took chemistry, up from 11.1% in 1999. In 2003, 15.7% took physics and 11.9% took chemistry. At junior certificate level there is one science subject and the uptake of this subject has been consistently high – 85.7% of the cohort took it in 2003.
