Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2016
145. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the importance he places on pupils being taught about national and international events of an historic and significant nature and if he will consider assigning History as a compulsory subject at junior certificate level. [18409/16]
View answerCurrently, over 90% of students choose history although it is compulsory in only half our schools. Curriculum choice and flexibility is important in motivating students to learn and to remain in school to completion of senior cycle.
It is important that our pupils are taught about significant national and international events in history. This underlies the emphasis on History in the primary schools curriculum, and on a broad and balanced understanding of the past. There is also an important place in our schools for local historical studies, and for social and cultural history. The primary curriculum stresses that studying History is important in assisting children to become confident, informed, critical and responsible adult members of society and in contributing to developing their literacy skills.
Schools across all sectors offer History. History teachers attract students to their subject through their own love and passion for History, and by engaging the natural curiosity of their students in, for example, the lives of people, the origins of the modern world and in objects and documents from the past. History is the 5th most popular subject in the Junior Certificate examination. The Decade of Centenaries is giving added interest to History, especially the 1916 - 2016 celebrations this year, and has seen high levels of engagement by many schools, including around Easter of this year. Great credit is due to students, teachers, school leaders, parents and other education staff for making the education elements of the Ireland 2016 commemorative programme such a success.
I have every confidence that through the implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle the place of history will be retained and given a new impetus across the junior cycle curriculum. Such an impetus should help to improve take up of History at senior cycle also. In fact, a new specification for Junior Cycle History will shortly be developed by the NCCA. This will involve intensive consultation whereby all interested parties will be able to provide their views. The new specification will be available for implementation in all schools from September 2018.
