It is my understanding that the availability of laboratory technicians has not been a universal feature of support for science teaching in second level schools and that in some countries that provide this type of resource it is confined to certain types of schools. I am aware that the provision of technical assistants was one of some 39 recommendations in the report of the task force on the physical sciences. However, the cost of the task force proposals is a total of some €244 million, of which €66.3 million would be a recurring annual cost. The proposal for the provision of technical assistants is close to 30% of this recurring annual cost. Progress has been made on implementing 25 of the task force recommendations and my Department continues to progress the recommendations as resources permit in collaboration and consultation with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, FORFAS and industry.
I am very much aware of the important role played by the sciences in a modern educational system and my Department has been very active in implementing initiatives to develop and support the teaching of the science subjects. Significant progress is being made in regard to curricular reform and in-service support for science at both primary and post-primary levels. Science was introduced as a key component in the revised primary school curriculum in 1999 and a revised syllabus has been implemented in all schools since September 2003. A revised syllabus for the junior certificate was introduced in September 2003, for first examination in June 2006.
For the leaving certificate, revised syllabi have already been fully implemented in biology, physics and chemistry. To complete the cycle of revision, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has almost completed work on the development of a new leaving certificate chemical and physical sciences syllabus to replace the current physics and chemistry combined syllabus and a revision of the agricultural science syllabus is also very well advanced.
The introduction of curricular change in the sciences has been supported by comprehensive in-career development programmes for teachers. Significant funding has also been allocated to provide additional grants for equipment and resources.