Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 April 2013
36. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the subject of history as a mandatory part of the curriculum for the junior cycle; if he is considering merging history with a group of other subjects including perhaps geography in a new subject grouping; if he has consulted with the representatives of second and third level history teachers regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17443/13]
View answerIn line with the philosophy of the Framework for Junior Cycle, no subject or short course will be deemed compulsory apart from Irish, English and Mathematics. There are no plans to revisit this. Schools will be given flexibility to shape their own junior cycle programme by including a selection of subjects, short courses and other learning experiences that will allow their students to meet the requirements of the twenty-four statements of learning outlined in the Framework.
History, currently a compulsory subject in voluntary secondary schools only, will be maintained as a discrete subject just as Geography and others will be under the Framework. New specifications for History will be developed in due course. In the event that a student does not study History as a discrete subject, there is still a requirement of schools to ensure that students meet the statements of learning, including "values local, national and internation heritage, understands the importance of the relationship between past and current events and the forces that drive change". Individual schools will have the flexibility to decide how they may do this. For example, a school or group of schools in a town, may opt to develop a short course in History to reflect a particular historical event relevant to their area.
I met with the representatives of the History Teachers' Association of Ireland in early 2012 and the discussion at that meeting helped to inform the final Framework document. I have every confidence that the changes envisaged in Framework for Junior Cycle will ensure that the place of historical study will be retained and given a new impetus across the junior cycle curriculum.
