There is scope for exploration of the role of trade unions throughout a number of different strands and subject areas in both primary and post-primary education.
In the Primary curriculum area of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) there are opportunities to explore, recognise and understand the contribution of trade unions in society as part of the Strand: Myself and the Wider World; Strand Unit: Developing Citizenship in fifth and sixth class.
In the curriculum area of Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE), Geography and History both provide opportunities to explore, recognise and understand the contribution of trade unions in society in fifth and sixth class, giving children the opportunity to acquire insights into the attitudes and actions of people in contemporary Ireland.
The NCCA is reviewing and redeveloping the primary curriculum. As part of this review, the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework was published for public consultation in February 2020. Work is ongoing in finalising the framework in respect of the findings from the consultation. The draft framework proposes the introduction of five broad curriculum areas, one being Social, Personal and Values Education and another being Social and Environmental Education (incorporating history and geography). The introduction of these curriculum areas into the redeveloped primary curriculum provides opportunities for learning experiences on the nature, role and value of Trade Unions in Ireland. Work on the development of curriculum specifications for the five curriculum areas will begin later this year.
The model of curriculum design at post-primary level is based on learning outcomes, setting out what students should know or be able to do. This model allows for much flexibility and autonomy for teachers in designing learning experiences. The role and importance of trade unions can be explored most obviously in business courses, but there are opportunities elsewhere too to consider their historical and contemporary significance, especially in History, CSPE and Politics and Society.
The Junior Cycle History specification provides numerous opportunities to explore the significance of trade unions in Irish history and how they have contributed to political and social developments in Ireland.
Among the many opportunities that exist at Junior Cycle to teach about the history of trade unions, of particular significance is learning outcome 2.10. This requires students to ‘Examine how one sporting, cultural or social movement
impacted on Irish life.’ When this learning outcome was devised by the JC history development group in 2017, the word ‘social’ was deliberately added to allow for groups such as trade unions to be the focus of particular study, and to allow for students to understand the significance and contribution of the role of trade unions in Irish history.
Both the Irish History and Europe and the Wider World History strands allow for students to ‘Debate the idea that the 1960s was an important decade in Ireland/Europe and the wider world, referring to relevant personalities, issues and events.’ This allows scope to consider how trade unions contributed to significant developments in politics and society, nationally and internationally, during this decade.
It should also be noted that the two Classroom Based Assessments for History, The Past in My Place and A Life in Time, each allow for students to look at an aspect of the trade union movement, or an important related personality.
In CSPE, there is great scope for considering the role of trade unions when interpreting learning outcomes. The CSPE course is taken by all students in junior cycle and infused throughout the course are numerous opportunities to explore the role that trade unions play in decision making processes in Irish social and political structures, and in tackling social justice issues. There is also an active citizenship dimension that allows for students to conduct a project, allowing for deeper learning about civic society and democratic processes.
Throughout the LC Politics and Society course, there are opportunities to consider the role of trade unions and other bodies in decision making processes. For instance, in learning outcome 2.1, students are obliged to describe the process of decision-making at national level in relation to a policy that impacts upon young people, making reference to the roles of: civil society bodies or groups; statutory bodies; the civil service; the social partnership process; the relevant minister and the government political parties; the Houses of the Oireachtas and the European Union supranational agreements such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Recent revisions to the specification explicitly include reference to the role of trade unions in promoting sustainable development. Learning outcomes 8.1 states that students should be able to consider the role of each of the following in achieving sustainable development: individual and local community efforts; corporate/business sector; civic society groups, including trade unions, governments and international agreements.
Further to the above curricular provisions, the Framework for Junior Cycle (2015) gives schools greater flexibility to design programmes that are suited to the needs of their junior cycle students and to the particular context of the school. In addition to offering subjects, schools can offer students the opportunity to study short courses.
These short courses can be developed by teachers, or other agencies such as Mandate, to suit the specific needs and interests of their students in junior cycle. Information on how to develop a short course can be found on here: ncca.ie/en/junior-cycle/subjects-and-short-courses/develop-your-own-short-course/. This may be an avenue of interest to Mandate Trade Union to explore.
The remit of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), outlined in the Education Act, is to advise the Minister for Education on matters relating to the curriculum for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools, and the assessment procedures employed in schools and examinations on subjects which are part of the curriculum. As part of this, the Council has a responsibility to review the curriculum and to advise the Minister accordingly. In accordance with the Education Act, the Council is a representative structure and is appointed by the Minister for Education for a four-year term. It has 26 members who represent teachers, students, school managers, parents, business interests, trade unions, the Irish language sector and other educational interests. The current Council, appointed in March of this year, has 8 trade union members.
Curriculum development work is carried out on behalf of Council by Boards and development groups. Members of development groups are nominated as representatives of their nominating bodies which comprise the key stakeholders and partners in education.
NCCA boards and development groups serve both the function of bringing expertise and valuable experience to the deliberations while at the same time providing effective representation around the table. Trade unions form an important and significant part of this representation on development groups and boards at both primary and post-primary level.
