David Stanton
Question:52. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of the transition year programme per annum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43015/12]
View answerTuesday, 9 October 2012
Questions (52)
Oral answers (6 contributions)
My Department provides specific teaching resources and additional grant aid to schools that offer the transition year programme. An additional teacher allocation is given to each school offering the programme, based on a pupil-teacher ratio of 18.5:1 for DEIS schools, 19:1 for schools in the free education scheme and 21:1 for fee-charging schools. Schools in the free education scheme also qualify for payment of a transition year grant of €95 for each pupil participating in the programme.
The cost of transition year grants in 2012 was €2.7 million. My Department allocated approximately 1,700 whole-time equivalent teaching posts in the 2012-2013 school year in respect of transition year, with an estimated cost of €109 million.
I am deputising for Deputy Stanton, who asked me to ask the Minister whether the Department of Education and Skills has done a cost-benefit analysis on the cost of transition year. For my part, I strongly believe a curriculum needs to be laid down. Issues have been raised with regard to the disappointing PISA results. We all know certain subjects need to be taught, including languages and science subjects. I am conscious this is all against a backdrop of budgetary constraints and that we need value for money. Although many students and parents have reported a good experience of transition year, a significant number of students have reported a disappointing experience. Are we getting value for money?
The real question is whether young people are obtaining a valuable education experience in transition year. In its original conception, transition year was designed to be an antidote or a contrast to the experience of swotting for the junior certificate examination. I have already made an announcement on the future of that examination. I have asked the Irish Second-Level Students Union, ISSU, to consider the position on transition year and invite opinions from students, some of whom are in the Visitors Gallery. I would like to discover what students think of transition year. Are they of the view that it could be better or more structured or is it a waste of money? Do those who complete transition year have a great time? How would students improve transition year? Young people, particularly those who have just completed the junior certificate examination and are commencing transition year, are in many respects much better placed to inform us of what they do or do not like about the year. The relevant research shows that, by and large, young people who complete transition year - these individuals now comprise a large percentage of the total cohort of secondary school students - obtain better academic results than those who do not do so.
I agree with the Minister with regard to young people having an input into this matter. Like Deputy David Stanton, in whose name the original question was tabled, I would like a cost-benefit analysis to be carried out. I accept that research indicates that children who complete transition year obtain approximately 40 points extra in the leaving certificate examination. However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. I would be interested in discovering what we and young people are getting in return for the money being invested.
My two youngest children completed transition year in recent times and their experiences of it were massively different. My daughter's transition year programme was extremely well structured. She had a brilliant time and gained a great deal from it. However, the same emphasis was not placed on transition year in the school my son attended. I remain of the view that it was better that he completed the year because he will be one year older when he sits his leaving certificate examination. I agree with the Minister that being more mature when sitting the leaving certificate examination is a real bonus. It would be good if firmer structures were in place in the context of how schools operate the transition year programme. They should all be obliged to give transition year the emphasis it deserves.
I had a similar experience with my son who is now in sixth year. A great deal depends on the motivation of the young people involved, the individual co-ordinators of transition year programmes and the level of general engagement. On the one hand, the dilemma for me, as Minister for Education and Skills, is that people are stating we are being too prescriptive with the curriculum, that we are overloading it and that schools are being instructed on what they should be doing almost every minute of every day. On the other hand, we are trying to inform schools that they should do their own thing during transition year. A balance must be struck.
I am going to examine the responses I receive from the ISSU and others on this matter and then consider the guidelines and assistance we can offer to secondary schools in order that they will have a menu of choices and activities to offer students. I accept that some of the latter are already in place, but I am concerned to discover whether improvements are necessary and whether new options might be offered. In that respect, we could consider whether it might be possible to tap into young people's enthusiasm for information technology and all the activities associated with it. We must harness that which is already in place in a way which will make transition year a more worthwhile experience for most of those who participate in it.