Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 April 2005
226 Mr. Carey asked the Minister for Education and Science the total cost of introducing and supporting new programmes such as the relationships programme at second level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12647/05]
View answerThe cost of introducing and supporting a new programme varies depending on the programme, the level of change involved and the degree of training and support necessary, the number of students and teachers who will be affected by the change, and whether additional equipment or resource grants are necessary for the programme. In addition, the level of support needed will decline after the initial introductory period. The main cost factors arising relate to development of the syllabus, guidelines and support materials, provision of in-service training for teachers, operation of support services, equipment, and evaluation and monitoring.
A national curriculum in social, personal and health education, SPHE, incorporating relationships and sexuality education has been developed at junior cycle level and this has been made mandatory for all schools with effect from September 2003. In addition, all schools are required to have an agreed school policy and a suitable relationships and sexuality education programme in place for senior cycle pupils.
As an indicator of cost, the cost of supporting the social personal and health education programme in junior cycle and the relationships and sexuality education component in senior cycle in 2004 was approximately €1.092 million. This included the provision of 13 support staff funded by the Department of Education and Science and ten support staff funded by the health boards, and the operational and delivery costs for in-service training for teachers. However, this programme was phased in over a three-year period beginning in September 2000 and the investment needed in the introductory phase, allied with the cost of teacher guidelines and manuals, would have been significantly higher.
