Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2005
392 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the discussions that have taken place within her Department and between her Department and the Department of Transport regarding the possibility of including motoring skills on the secondary school system; the outcome of those discussions; the timetable for delivery of this measure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36289/05]
View answerThe question of introducing a road safety and driver education syllabus into schools has been examined by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, on foot of a report from a task group set up in 2000, which included representatives of the Departments of Education and Science and the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, the National Safety Council, the Garda, the Irish Insurance Federation, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, Rosary College, Crumlin, the CCEA Northern Ireland and the NCCA. The NCCA also commissioned a study on driver education in post-primary schools from Dr. Ray Fuller of Trinity College Dublin.
The NCCA, whose role is to advise the Minister for Education and Science on curriculum and assessment issues, recommended that road safety be addressed within the context of social, personal and health education, SPHE, and that driver education, and specifically learning to drive for pupils aged 17, should not become part of the school curriculum. The NCCA noted this concurred with the practice in other jurisdictions.
At the beginning of the 2001-02 school year the National Safety Council, with assistance from my Department, distributed copies of Staying Alive — a road safety resource for Transition Year and the Senior Cycle — to all second level schools. This pack contained a wide range of learning opportunities and activities on topics such as personal responsibility and decision-making, environmental issues and risks and rules for road users. A CD-ROM with additional material downloaded from the Internet was included in the pack along with copies of the Rules of the Road. In the preparation of the staying alive resources material, views were sought from a range of organisations with interests in the promotion of road safety. Prior to its issue to second level schools, the material was piloted in 20 schools and the response from teachers in those schools was positive.
393 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, classical studies is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36306/05]
View answer394 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, ancient Greek is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36315/05]
View answer395 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, Latin is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36316/05]
View answer396 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, English is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36317/05]
View answer401 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, Hebrew studies is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36352/05]
View answer402 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, French is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels. [36353/05]
View answer403 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, German is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36354/05]
View answer404 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, Italian is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36355/05]
View answer405 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, Spanish is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36356/05]
View answer406 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, history is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36357/05]
View answer407 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, geography is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36358/05]
View answer408 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, mathematics is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36359/05]
View answer409 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, applied mathematics is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36360/05]
View answer410 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, physics is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36361/05]
View answer411 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, chemistry is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36362/05]
View answer412 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, physics and chemistry are optional subjects for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36363/05]
View answer413 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, agricultural science is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36364/05]
View answer414 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, biology is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36365/05]
View answer415 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, agricultural economics is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36366/05]
View answer416 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, engineering is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels. [36367/05]
View answer417 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, technical drawing is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36368/05]
View answer418 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, construction studies is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36369/05]
View answer419 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, home economics — scientific and social — is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36370/05]
View answer420 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, accounting is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36371/05]
View answer421 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in accordance with her Department’s rules and programme for secondary schools, business is an optional subject for study for the leaving certificate examination at both higher and ordinary levels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36372/05]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 393 to 396, inclusive, and Questions Nos. 401 to 421, inclusive, together.
In accordance with the rules and programme for secondary schools, the approved course for the established leaving certificate must include Irish and not less than four of the examination subjects listed, all of which are optional: classical studies; ancient Greek; Latin; English; Hebrew studies; French; German; Italian; Spanish; history; geography; mathematics; applied mathematics; physics; chemistry; physics and chemistry; agricultural science; biology; agricultural economics; engineering; technical drawing; construction studies; home economics — scientific and social; accounting; business; economics; art, including crafts; music; Russian; Arabic; Japanese; and religious education.
Rule 46 of the rules and programme for secondary schools and in my Department's circular M10/94 makes provision for exemption from the study of Irish in limited special circumstances. In the established leaving certificate examination, separate higher, ordinary and foundation level papers are set in the case of the subjects Irish and mathematics. In the case of the other subjects papers are set at both ordinary and higher levels. The subject economic history has been discontinued. It was examined for the last time in the leaving certificate in June 2005.
