I thank the Chairman for inviting us to discuss this topic. The presentation on behalf of the Department of Education and Science will be in two parts, which I hope will dovetail. In the first part, I will outline the contribution of the primary curriculum to EU awareness and give an overview of the role played by the mainstream subjects at post-primary level. In the second part, my colleague, Mr. Christopher McCamley, will present a range of initiatives that contribute in general to EU awareness-raising in schools. I will read part of the paper I have circulated and members may refer to any aspect of it afterwards.
A revised primary curriculum was introduced in 1999. During its revision there was consensus on the need to include an emphasis on the European dimension. In keeping with the holistic construct of the primary curriculum, the development of European awareness is dealt with in an integrated manner throughout the curriculum. Particular reference is made to the EU dimension in four of the seven curriculum areas — language; social, personal and health education; social, environmental and scientific education, which includes history and geography; and arts education.
I will give the committee a few examples of how EU awareness infiltrates the curriculum. In the SPHE curriculum, a broad objective is that the child should begin to understand the concepts of personal, local, national, European and global identity. In one of the strands, the objective is that the child should become aware of some of the cultures, lifestyles and languages of some countries in the EU and the wider world. This should involve learning about the countries in the EU, identifying some of the effects of the European Parliament on Irish life, exploring the interdependence of countries and peoples and learning about each other through sport and music. Teachers are advised in the guidelines that topics such as these can be developed across other subjects, such as geography, history, music and languages. An integrated approach is strongly recommended.
By studying geography at primary level, children should become familiar with the principal cities of the EU and learn about the mainfeatures of Europe, such as the Alps, the Rhine and the Mediterranean. The focus is on developing the children's geographical understanding rather than rote memorisation. For example, in human geography the children explore themes within context. This is quite a change from the older approach. For example, they would study the theme of transport or perhaps economic activities in one of four suggested contexts, one of which is the European context. This shows how the EU is well recognised in geography.
The aim of the history syllabus is that children will develop a sense of personal, local, national, European and wider identity. There is a particular focus on children developing an appreciation of the notion of tolerance and that the idea of treating people equally had to evolve over time. It is envisaged that children will acquire insight into the actions and attitudes of people in contemporary Ireland and that this will contribute to their development as young Europeans.
Built into the curriculum is an understanding that the learning of foreign languages is very important in terms of cultural awareness. There is a modern languages initiative running in primary schools. It started in 1998 and involves the teaching of Italian, Spanish, German and French to fifth and sixth class students. It currently involves 394 schools.
Teachers are supported and informed about the value of modern information and communication technologies to enhance the European awareness dimension of the primary curriculum. Recently published guidelines give them specific direction on how to use resources such as Scoilnet, a portal that involves a partnership of 20 European ministries.
On the post-primary curriculum, the first area that should be mentioned is civic, social and political education, CSPE. This is a compulsory subject for all post-primary students in the junior cycle. It is taken by 55,000 to 60,000 students each year. The most obvious part of that syllabus which is relevant to today's topic is the unit entitled "Ireland and the world", through which students examine why and how states group together. They do so by exploring international groupings such as the EU, the Council of Europe and the United Nations. It is important to note that CSPE has a fluidity that sets it apart from other syllabi. For example, when dealing with the concept of democracy teachers are encouraged to use active learning methodologies and to explore topical issues. In that context, it is common for European Parliament elections, mock elections, visits by MEPs and so on to be part of the learning experience for students. The CSPE support service, in partnership with the curriculum development unit of CDVEC, provides a steady stream of resources for CSPE teachers. Since there is to be a separate presentation I will not dwell on them but I will mention one in particular, namely, the vote, gender and participation in democracy resource, which was funded by the gender equality unit of the Department and which is particularly relevant to this topic. The committee will hear about it later.
It is important to mention that Irish CSPE experts play significant parts in and also benefit from the development of citizen education across Europe. Irish representatives have been very involved in recent times in helping new democracies in eastern Europe to develop syllabi and to share our practices with them.
History is taken by approximately 90% of post-primary students in the junior cycle. There are a number of areas in which the EU is considered within the current syllabi for both higher and ordinary level students. At leaving certificate level, history is provided in the majority of schools and approximately 11,000 students choose to take it each year. The current leaving certificate history syllabus covers the 1870 to 1966 period. It deals with the moves towards European unity since 1945 and covers the Benelux countries, the Schumann plan, the Treaty of Rome and so on.
A revised leaving certificate syllabus will be introduced in September 2004 which has a much broader approach to European awareness. The current syllabus has a heavy political emphasis but the new approach will study the topics from the perspectives of politics and administration, society and the economy, culture, religion and science. The date parameters in the new revised syllabus have been changed to relate to the period 1815 to 1990. Details of the specific topics are contained in the presentation.
Geography in the junior and senior cycles aims to encourage post-primary pupils to develop a sensitive awareness of peoples, places and landscapes, both in their own country and elsewhere. Junior certificate students are asked to consider the use of the earth's resources, which includes water supplies, fish stocks, energy provision and the uneven distribution of wealth. To develop these topics, references are made to EU environmental directives such as the Common Fisheries Policy and the EU energy policy. Of particular relevance to Ireland are the regional and structural policies and their role in addressing the imbalance in development between the core and peripheral regions in Europe.
The importance of the EU dimension is also reflected in the examinations. In the 2004 geography exams, questions required knowledge of fish conservation measures and the implications of EU enlargement. As is the case in respect of history, a revised syllabus for leaving certificate geography will be introduced in September of this year in which there is considerable coverage of EU initiatives and EU-related topics within the syllabus, details of which are contained in the document.
Economics is a senior cycle subject which is particularly relevant in this regard. A major requirement of the economics syllabus is that it relates to events in the national, European and global economies. The relationship between economic policies in Ireland and the EU is particularly important. Students cover topics such as the EU institutions, the regional and structural funds, the CAP and its implications for Irish agriculture and the enlargement of the EU. The economics syllabus is currently being revised by the NCCA and it is expected in the revised syllabus that students will have certain core units as well as an option. A current draft of the syllabus, although it is not finalised, includes a provision that one of the two available options will be on the EU, the other seems as though it will be on Irish agriculture. There is no reason to suggest they will change and it demonstrates that economics is focusing on EU issues.
While the European studies project is not strictly speaking a subject, it is relevant to our discussions. The ESP was established as far back as 1986 and has since promoted the joint study and communication among students and teachers in 20 European jurisdictions. Its aim is to increase mutual understanding, awareness and tolerance among the youth of contemporary Europe. The programme is funded jointly by the Department of Education and Science and its corresponding department in Northern Ireland. There are currently 111 post primary schools in the Republic of Ireland involved in the ESP. The project has two programmes of study — a junior programme and a senior programme taken mainly by transition year students.
Units in both programmes are designed to assist students in examining not only areas of shared understanding but also areas of past conflict. The programmes are intended to broaden students' knowledge and understanding of their own place and their relationship to others in the Europe of today. Students are encouraged and assisted in using technology as an effective tool in communication and, particularly in the senior programme, to develop and ability to understand and communicate in at least one non-native language.
An extensive range of resources is provided to the schools involved in this project and of particular interest is a new resource which is being developed on Europe which is designed for transition year students. The idea is that this will be disseminated to all schools and that those offering transition year will be in a position to offer students a module on European studies if they are not already in the ESP. The project will therefore have an effect across the board in time.
This whistlestop tour is intended to give members an overview of how the primary curriculum and subject syllabi at post primary level give students opportunities to develop an awareness of the EU. There are other areas which are relevant, including business, home economics — social and scientific — and the social education course within the LCA programme. Unfortunately, there is no time to deal with those, therefore, I will hand over to Mr. McCamley, who will deal with the second part of our presentation.