Written Answers Nos. 146 - 163
146. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the picture exchange communication system, which has been proven to be very beneficial for children with autism could be more widely used and included in the training of teachers in colleges of education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18891/14]
View answerUnder the Teaching Council Act, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the review and accreditation of programmes of Initial Teacher Education. In order to guide its reviews and provide a benchmark for HEIs providing programmes of initial teacher education, the Council has developed "Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers of Initial Teacher Education", published in August 2011. The criteria for ITE prescribe a list of mandatory areas of study and Special Education, as part of Inclusive Education, is one such mandatory area. All providers have been required by the Council to reconfigure their programmes to meet the Council's criteria, and most have now been presented to the Council for accreditation.
It is the view of the Teaching Council that ITE is about the development of critical core skills, which can then be applied to any range of issues in the classroom, possibly with the benefit of further up-skilling post-qualification. The latter point is important, because teacher education spans the entire teaching career. Given that there are currently more than 87,000 teachers on the Council's register of teachers, with only 3,000 or so graduating from initial teacher education every year, it is important that the issue of special educational needs would not be seen as one to be covered at ITE stage only. Although the Council's functions in the area of CPD have not yet been commenced, it considers this to be a very important phase in the continuum of teacher education and is currently planning for the development of a national framework on CPD. It should also be noted that the issue of SEN is covered as part of an induction workshop programme which all newly qualified teachers are required to engage in, in order to be fully registered with the Teaching Council.
I thank the Deputy for her suggestion, which will be brought to the attention of the National Council for Special Education and the Teaching Council.
147. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills when and which leaving certificate subjects were last revised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18892/14]
View answerThe most recent syllabus revisions at post-primary are:
(a) Leaving Certificate Technology as a new subject, and Leaving Certificate Design and Communications Graphics which were implemented in 2007 for first examination in 2009(b) A revised Irish curriculum in the Leaving Certificate, which provides for 40% of the marks for oral assessment, began in September 2010 with first examination in 2012. (c) Project Maths is a major programme of reform in Maths in second level schools which began being phased in in 24 schools in 2008 and has, through a phased implementation been rolled out to all second level schools by September 2012.
The NCCA continues to work on other Leaving Certificate subjects such as the sciences and Physical Education. Recently I requested that the NCCA prioritise Politics and Society. Such reviews are an on-going part of the work of the NCCA.
148. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that have been taken to ensure no future mistakes will occur on leaving certificate papers which has previously happened; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18894/14]
View answerIn the 2013 State certificate examinations, a number of Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate examination papers contained undetected errors which had not come to light before the examination and which had the potential to impact on candidate answering. The SEC accepted that level of error in the 2013 examination papers was unacceptably high and apologised to the candidates affected. Specific measures were implemented in the marking process by the SEC so that candidates have not been disadvantaged as a result of these errors. These measures were successful.Following on from the 2013 marking process the SEC carried out an in-depth review of the errors that occurred in the 2013 Certificate Examinations. The SEC's report on this review was presented to me last August. The report made a number of recommendations to reduce the risk of errors occurring in the future. While recognising that it is not possible to ensure that examinations in the future will be completely error free, nevertheless the following steps have been taken by the SEC so as to minimise the risk of error in the future:
- Senior management has adopted a more strategic approach to anticipating and assessing the impact of retirements and other staff changes including assessing the risks associated with the loss of subject-specific examination expertise. Strategies such as the development of subject specific protocols and the documentation and sharing of good practice among experienced and new Examination and Assessment managers (EAMs) have been put in place;
- The current personnel structures for the preparation of examination papers have been reviewed. International practice in relation to examination paper preparation and quality assurance measures has also been researched and reviewed. Further to this review an additional QA measure has been put in place for the 2014 Leaving Certificate examinations;
- The SEC's formal protocols for paper preparation have been reviewed. These protocols are considered generally robust and fit for purpose. However they are generic in nature and, in the case of some subjects, they have been supplemented by EAMs and Setters with additional practices to deal with technical and specialised requirements of those subjects. The recording and dissemination of these informal subject specific practices is ongoing. The protocols emerging will also be used in training new permanent and contract staff thus protecting the organisation against loss of corporate memory and examination expertise into the future;
- All post print errors over the last three years have been collated and analysed. These include errors dealt with through the annual List of Corrections, errors which led to reprints before the examinations and errors which were detected in the course of the examinations;
- Information arising from this review has been used to identify where procedures and protocols might be strengthened and/or the training needs of staff e.g. in areas such as proof reading and version control;
- In the case of Mathematics, additional contract staff has been deployed to assist in the preparation of examination papers over the transitional phasing in of Project Maths at both Leaving and Junior Certificate.
In addition to the forgoing the SEC will develop a communication strategy specifically for dealing with error. This will include designating a specific area on its website to providing information on its approach to dealing with errors in examinations.
149. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the implementation of guidelines in promoting mental health in primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18905/14]
View answerGuidelines for primary schools on promoting well-being and mental health are currently being developed by my Department. It is expected that the guidelines will be available to primary schools in the autumn. These guidelines will complement 'Well-Being in Post- Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention' which was published jointly by my Department, the Department of Health and the HSE in 2013.
The primary school guidelines will complement existing measures to promote positive mental health at primary level. Such measures include the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme which is mandatory at primary level. The SPHE programme contains a number of specific aims that are relevant to positive mental health and well-being. These include promoting all aspects of the child's health, fostering in the child a sense of care and respect for himself/herself, and enabling the child to make informed decisions and choices about all aspects of life including health.
Primary schools are also encouraged to participate in the 'Health Promoting Schools' initiative, which is supported by the Department of Health. This European-wide programme aims to strengthen schools' capacity be a healthy setting for learning and working by focusing at whole-school level on all the conditions that affect health and well-being. The results from the second Lifeskills survey which were published by my Department in January of this year indicate that approximately 40% of respondent primary schools are currently in the Health Promoting Schools initiative or are in the process of joining. My Department is working with the Department of Health to increase participation among primary schools in this initiative.
150. Deputy Dara Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to include representatives of community education in the new education and training boards structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18912/14]
View answerIn accordance with Section 30(11) of the Education and Training Boards Act, 2013, I intend specifying bodies which have a special interest in, or knowledge of, education, members of which will appointed by the Education and Training Board (ETB) to the board.
The Act requires that at least one body from each of the following categories must be specified (i) bodies representative of business, industry and employers; (ii) bodies representative of learners; (iii) bodies representative of persons engaged in the management of, or leadership in, recognised schools. Each ETB must appoint at least one member from each of these categories.
I am currently considering which bodies to specify in accordance with the provisions of the Act. The Deputy should note that it will be a matter for each Board to make the actual appointments, in accordance with the legislation.
151. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers who have participated in the professional diploma in mathematics for teaching announced by his Department in May 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18923/14]
View answer152. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of participating teachers who have completed the professional diploma in mathematics for teaching successfully; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18924/14]
View answer153. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of qualified teachers teaching maths in classrooms as a result of the professional diploma in mathematics for teaching successfully; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18925/14]
View answer154. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the three years' funding expires for the professional diploma in mathematics for teaching successfully, if it will be renewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18926/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 151 to 154, inclusive, together.
In 2012, the Professional Diploma in Mathematics for Teaching, a blended learning, two year part-time programme was made available nationwide free of charge to improve the skills of certain maths teachers at post-primary level. It is a condition of entry to the programme that the applicant will continue to teach maths.
Provision of the course is led by the National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching & Learning (NCE-MSTL), based in the University of Limerick (UL), and it will be accredited jointly by the UL and NUI Galway through their strategic alliance. Some 317 teachers are enrolled in the first round of the programme which began in September 2012. 295 teachers are enrolled in the second round which began in September 2013. A further intake is planned for September 2014. As the course is of 2 years' duration, no participants have completed the programme yet.
Funding is committed for the two rounds of the programme currently underway and for a third intake this September. Decisions on future rounds will be made in light of factors such as continuing demand and available resources.
155. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procurement and tendering procedures used by the PDST in determining what tablets were to be used on the Department's initiative Points for Life; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18927/14]
View answer156. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total cost of tablets used in the Points for Life initiative in his Department; if the Department received any sponsorship of these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18928/14]
View answer159. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the usage of iPads is endorsed by the Points for Life initiative which is part of the PDST programme and the reason usage of Microsoft Surface tablets has not been endorsed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18942/14]
View answer162. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason his Department does not endorse or promote any product for use in schools as his Points for Life initiative gets schools to sign an acknowledgement that they are using PDST owned iPads for the initiative and that they remain as part of the PDST which is fully funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19010/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 155, 156, 159 and 162 together.
The Points for Life initiative is a physical activity programme which is currently being piloted in a number of schools in Co. Wicklow. The project is overseen by a Committee comprising officials from my Department, PDST, Blackrock Education Centre and is chaired by Senator Eamonn Coughlan. The tablets were sponsored. The tablets are used for the assessment of physical literacy in the classroom.
The Professional Development Service for Teachers does not endorse or promote any product for use in schools. They are available to advise schools on how to integrate technology in teaching and learning. The decision on the introduction of tablet devices and the type of tablet purchased is one that rests with the Board of Management of a school.
157. Deputy Dara Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to the Quality & Qualifications Ireland, if the Cork City Network of FETAC Quality Assured Community Education Providers will be added to the list of persons and groups that are receive waivers from fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18930/14]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, QQI has, in accordance with Section 80 of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act, 2012, determined a number of fees which will apply to all providers seeking to engage with it, including those in the community and voluntary sector. The fees were determined in accordance with QQI's policy and fees which provides, inter alia, that fees will be comprehensive, coherent and reflect the amount and complexity of the work undertaken by QQI.
There is a significant amount of work involved in assessing applications from providers, so QQI can be assured that they meet their rigorous quality standards. The purpose of those standards is to ensure that providers have the capacity to provide quality programmes of education and training to their learners. The fees therefore underpin QQI's ability to ensure and monitor compliance with its standards. Furthermore, and importantly, the fees help to ensure that only those providers which are serious about complying with those standards, and have the capacity to do so, apply to QQI.
At the meeting of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection on 19 February, QQI committed to work with ICTU, AONTAS and other representative bodies to discuss how providers in the further education and training sector, including community and voluntary bodies, could work with QQI to ensure they can continue to provide a quality offering to their learners, particularly in the context of the emerging policy and provision landscape being developed in the further education and training sector. QQI has since met with both AONTAS and the ICTU to explore the concerns of the community and voluntary sector and a number of follow-up meetings are planned.
With regard to possible waivers, a system of waivers has always applied to certification or award fees for certain categories of learners in the further education and training sector. This system has not been changed. It is not intended to introduce a new system of waivers for providers of education and training, for the reasons outlined above.
158. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to extend the budget 2014 school book rental scheme grant fund to schools that currently have a book rental scheme and wish to purchase new books; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18938/14]
View answerI recently announced that all primary schools which currently operate a school book rental scheme will be able to benefit from the €15 million School Book Rental Scheme Fund which was secured as part of Budget 2014. Last October, I announced that the €15 million fund would be targeted specifically at primary schools which did not currently operate a book rental scheme. The Department has received applications from approximately 400 such schools to date. 531 schools who previously indicated that they did not have book loan schemes were invited to apply for the funding and of these, three quarters applied for funding.
DEIS schools will receive €150 per child and non-DEIS schools will receive €100 per child in seed capital funding over the next two years to establish book rental schemes. This will cost approximately €6.7 million and is expected to benefit more than 63,000 pupils and their families. I have now decided that the balance of the fund, some €8.3 million, will be divided among all other primary schools that currently operate book rental schemes, in 2015 and 2016. These schools are expected to receive a total of €18 per pupil or €20 in DEIS schools over those two years. This is on top of the annual book grant of €15 million which is paid to first and second level schools on a per pupil basis. This forms part of my wider agenda to tackle the high costs of going to school for parents. When I first announced this scheme which targeted only primary schools which were not operating a Book Rental Scheme, many of the other schools voiced their concern at being left out, despite the hard work of many parents and teachers to establish such schemes. I indicated that after the initial first round of funding was allocated I would examine the scheme again. I am delighted that the Department will be able to provide an extra boost to these other schools which should allow them to expand or replace some books on their own schemes.
160. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a school (details supplied) in County Mayo will have extra accommodation provided to meet the population needs of the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18966/14]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the school, referred to, has an application with my Department for capital funding for a replacement school building.
Whilst the school, in question, has experienced some growth in pupil numbers in recent years, the school is aware that it is not located in an area which has been identified as an area of significant population growth. In view of the need to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers, the delivery of new schools, together with extension projects, will be prioritised in the coming years to meet significant demographic growth. As it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the progression of this school project at this time, an alternative option to address the schools immediate accommodation needs has been examined and is now being progressed.
In that regard, my Department has approved, under the Prefab Replacement Initiative 2012, funding for the provision of additional permanent school accommodation comprising four mainstream classrooms, two Special Education teaching rooms and appropriate ancillary accommodation. I understand that the school have been advised to tender for and appoint a Design Team to master-plan the school project so that the Phase I element can be delivered up-front and the balance can be delivered at a later date. Once the successful Design Team has been appointed, a stage 1 submission with costings, including for any enabling works required, should be prepared and forwarded to the Department for consideration.
161. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide capital funding for Adamstown Community College, Lucan, County Dublin for the purposes of providing a sports hall, and the reasons for his refusal. [18992/14]
View answerA sports facility was originally planned for this site in Adamstown, to be developed by a third party. Due to circumstances outside of my Department's control, the facility was not delivered. My Department officials have engaged with the relevant stakeholders with a view to reaching an acceptable outcome and will continue to follow up on the matter. I am sure the Deputy will agree that all means to deliver on the original agreement must be explored fully in the first instance.
163. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason his Department is asking the parents of a special needs student (details supplied) in County Westmeath to pay transport costs to a school to undertake a leaving certificate applied course, when no school in the immediate locality is able to provide this curriculum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19040/14]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.
The school this child proposes to attend in September is not her nearest school and therefore she is not eligible for school transport to this school. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of terms and conditions including the availability of spare sets on an existing service and the payment of the annual charge. The parents of this child should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office regarding the availability of seats for the 2014/15 school year. Only children who are eligible for school transport and who hold a valid medical card (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge.
