Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 May 2022
112. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will take steps to introduce objective sex education in all primary and post-primary schools; if she will ensure that religious ethos cannot prevent the teaching of the objective sex education curriculum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23805/22]
View answerAccess to Relationships and Sexuality Education, or RSE, is an important right for students. This is reflected in the Programme for Government, which states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and Social, Personal and Health Education across primary and post-primary schools.
Social, Personal and Health Education, or SPHE for short, is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary Junior Cycle. RSE is required at all levels in schools, from primary through to Senior Cycle.
All schools are required to have an RSE policy that is developed in consultation with the school community, including school management, parents, teachers and students as appropriate. The school’s programme for Relationship and Sexuality Education is developed and taught in the context of the school’s RSE policy. In addition, schools are required to teach all aspects of the RSE programme, including family planning, sexually transmitted infections and sexual orientation. It is important to note that the ethos of the school should never preclude learners from acquiring the knowledge about the issues.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment was requested to conduct a review of RSE provision in Irish schools, focussing on a range of topics including healthy positive, sexual expression and relationships and LGBTQ+ matters. The NCCA published “The Report on the Review of Relationships and Sexuality Education in primary and post-primary schools” in December, 2019.
This report resulted in the NCCA establishing two development groups, one for primary and one for post-primary, to oversee the work of developing an updated curriculum materials in this area and supporting the development of guidance material for schools.
The immediate focus of the NCCA work has been on creating support materials for teachers as part of an Interim Guidance Toolkit. This Toolkit aims to support effective teaching and learning of SPHE/RSE and to deepen teachers' understanding and skills in addressing important and sensitive topics.
The NCCA Toolkit is being expanded in 2022 to include further age and stage appropriate guidance for teachers on how to address these topics within the SPHE classroom.
In tandem with this work, preparation for the broader redeveloping and updating of the SPHE curriculum has begun. Updated curricula will be developed for Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle.
A draft revised Junior Cycle specification is due to be agreed at NCCA Council in early Summer, with a public consultation to follow. The final revised specification is due to be completed by the end of 2022.
Preparation to update the Senior Cycle SPHE/RSE specification has commenced and it is intended that a meeting of the Senior Cycle development group will be convened in the next week. This group will prepare a background paper and brief which will form the basis of their work of redeveloping the Senior Cycle SPHE/RSE specification.
Following publication of the Primary Curriculum Framework, expected in early 2023, NCCA will establish a development group for the curricular area of Well-being. Learning pertaining to RSE in primary school will be addressed within the curricular area of Well-being and the subjects of Physical and Health Education and Social, Personal and Values Education. This development group will work on the development of a specification for the curricular area and corresponding subjects. This advice will be developed through research, deliberation, consultation, and engagement with networks.
In redeveloping the SPHE curriculum, the NCCA will be making explicit the importance of fostering young people's self-awareness and self-esteem and building the foundational skills and dispositions needed for building caring and healthy relationships (including respectful communication, showing empathy, and appreciating difference).
My Department continues to work closely with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to best give effect to the commitment in the Programme for Government to develop inclusive and age-appropriate RSE and SPHE curricula across primary and post-primary levels, including an inclusive programme on LGBTI+ relationships and making appropriate legislative changes, if necessary.
