Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 May 2012
60 Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm the date on which the review of the modern languages in primary schools initiative will commence; the date this review will be completed; his views on the modern language initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23105/12]
View answerI believe that the Deputy may have misunderstood the reply given by the Taoiseach on 1 May 2012 to a question concerning the modern languages in primary schools initiative. In his reply, the Taoiseach did not give a commitment to review the decision to end the modern languages in primary school initiative. He did however state that the primary curriculum is being reviewed by the NCCA in the context of the national literacy and numeracy strategy.
This Government does not plan to review the decision to end the modern languages in primary schools initiative.
As the Deputy is aware the decision to end the scheme took account of a 2008 Report by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). The report identified serious issues with curricular overload at primary level. The NCCA's advice recommended for the present modern languages should not be part of the Primary School Curriculum as an additional and separate subject. The advice in relation to curriculum overload predated the wake up call on literacy and numeracy triggered by the PISA results. I am taking that advice on board and with particular regard to the demands on time in school that will result from a heightened focus on literacy and numeracy.
The primary curriculum is currently being reviewed by the NCCA in the context of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. The €2.5million in savings from this measure will go towards the cost of implementing the new National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. The 17% of primary schools at present in the Initiative, who have had even more time demands than others in a crowded curricular space, should as a result be better placed to deliver under the strategy.
Given the priority of literacy and numeracy, I have acted on the 2008 advice about overload and could not justify either the continuation of the initiative in the existing schools or its expansion to all schools even if funding was not an issue.
