Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 November 2004
34 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education and Science the progress made on the implementation of the recommendations of the task force on the physical sciences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30470/04]
View answerThere were some 39 recommendations in the report of the task force on the physical sciences, 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, progress has been made on 25 of the recommendations.
In particular, important progress is being made in regard to: curricular reform and in-service 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 is 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 in-service programmes for teachers. For example, over the period 2002 to the end of 2003, 62,000 teacher training days have been provided at an estimated cost of €5.26 million at primary and post-primary level; resourcing, with substantial grants issued to schools at primary level in 1999, 2001 and 2002; an additional per capita grant for physics and chemistry at leaving certificate; a capital grants programme for senior cycle science ICT and science equipment; allied with the implementation of a once-off grant scheme to support the implementation of the new junior certificate science syllabus. Some 614 schools in the free education scheme have opted to provide the revised junior certificate science syllabus from 2003-04, and grants of €10.2 million were issued to these schools this year. The grant scheme will continue apply to new schools in the free education scheme implementing the revised junior certificate syllabus in 2004-05, and it is intended that all schools will be implementing the programme by 2005. The revised junior certificate science syllabus provides for a more investigative approach to science education with some 30 experiments and investigations which have to be carried out over the period of the programme. This hands-on approach is seen as critically important to enhance the attractiveness of the subject and encourage more students to choose the physical sciences at senior cycle; ICT integration projects in teaching and learning under the schools IT initiative, and the new TV Scope programme 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; the launch of the new Discover Science and Engineering programme in October 2003 bringing together all the existing awareness activities in a unified strategy; and the announcement by the Tánaiste in December 2003 of plans for Ireland's first interactive learning centre for children and adults, designed to give visitors a hands-on experience and understanding of science and to be an education and outreach centre for teachers and pupils. The Exploration Station is due to open in 2006 and will be sited in the OPW Heuston Gate development in Kilmainham, Dublin.
This work continues to be progressed 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.
