asked the Minister for Education whether the introduction of the junior certificate will involve the replacement of existing text books now in use in the junior cycle of second level schools; if she will give an estimate of the likely cost per pupil of the new books that will be required; and if she will make a statement on the likelihood of success of the new junior certificate, in the absence of adequate resources for books, in-service training, dissemination of curriculum information and information about the method of examination.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - New Junior Certificate.
1.
The new syllabuses do not represent so radical a departure from the existing syllabuses as to necessitate the replacement of the text books in all cases. This I have made clear. The main thrust of the new syllabuses is in approach and methodology rather than in content. In view of this I have made available increased funding for the in-service training of teachers. The overall in-service training allocation for 1989 is £698,000 compared with £311,000 in 1988, an increase of 124 per cent. The provision for 1990 is £750,000, an increase of 141 per cent on the 1988 level. In the context of these significantly increased resources for in-service the needs of the teachers of the new junior certificate syllabuses are being prioritised.
With regard to dissemination of curriculum information I should point out to the Deputy that in the autumn of 1988 each second-level school was circulated with copies of the seven new syllabuses; an information brochure outlining the key issues involved in the junior certificate and a video illustrating the central developments of the new syllabuses.
In addition the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment convened information seminars throughout the country to introduce teachers to the new syllabuses.
In the course of the summer my Department began issuing to schools copies of guidelines for teachers. Further copies of the guidelines and other support material are being given to teachers attending this week's national in-service seminars throughout the country. Copies of the new syllabuses and the guidelines for teachers are also being made available for purchase through the Government Publications Sale Office.
In relation to the method of examination I should like to emphasise that the examination exists to serve the syllabus and not to determine it or constrain teachers in their approach to it. The general thrust of the new junior certificate is to afford teachers as much freedom as possible within broad parameters in the planning and implementation of their work programmes to meet the specific needs of their pupils. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment will be reporting to me on assessment and examination modes based on the findings of course and in-service committees and the assessment committee. These findings will undoubtedly draw upon feedback to the committees from teachers implementing the syllabuses and attending the in-service seminars. This is a normal commonsense procedure in the introduction of any new curriculum and the drawing up of sample examination papers.
In 1989 my Department provided £1.9 million for free school books in the post primary area which was an increase of 20 per cent and I am pleased to say that the 1990 figure will be similarly increased.
Is the Minister aware that chaos reigns in many areas in regard to the operation of the in-service courses for teachers in that many schools have received no more than one day's notice of the course applying in respect of their school and some schools have not been notified at all as to when an in-service course will be organised for them? Would she agree that it makes little sense to introduce a new curriculum without information as to how that curriculum is to be examined? To have a junior certificate curriculum in being, while the method of its examination is unknown, is completely unsatisfactory and is putting the cart before the horse. Is the Minister aware that the schools have received just two handbooks each even though there may be 20 or 30 teachers in some schools to whom these handbooks are supposed to be made available? Does she regard that as adequate? Would she further agree——
Let me plead for brevity having regard to the very strict time limits for dealing with priority questions.
I am surprised that you did not make a similar interruption in respect of the Minister's reply.
The Chair has no control over Minister's replies but it has control over Deputies' supplementaries.
It seems a one-sided arrangement.
The Deputy put down a very long question.
That has always been the position in this House.
The Chair is wasting time now.
I am sorry if I am so doing.
Is the Minister aware that no advance documentation other than the guidelines is being sent to teachers in regard to the in-service training days and that if she wants the best use to be made of this time such advance documentation should be sent out?
Four supplementaries have been put to me and I will answer the four notwithstanding that this will deny other people the right to questions.
The first question is on the in-service courses. The in-service provision has been drawn up by in-service committees consisting of serving teachers who have designed the parameters and course content of the in-service courses under the NCCA. They are implementing their own demands. Secondly, I have met recently with the two teaching unions and have fully implemented my promise to them with regard to hugely increased funds for in-service courses and the course content.
I will certainly arrange for extra handbooks to be sent to each school. That is a matter of procedure. With regard to advance documentation to each school in respect of in-service days, I shall arrange for that matter to be reported to the teachers who are arranging the days. That might well be the best way of dealing with it. With regard to examinations, I will be receiving a report from the NCCA — I expect that shortly — but any introduction of the new curriculum must be proceeded with along the lines of the main answer I have given.
Question No. 2.
Is the Minister aware that, while she may have been talking to teachers' unions, I also have been talking to teachers in classrooms and their impression is that these in-service days are chaotic?
I would dispute the idea that the teachers' unions do not represent teachers in the classrooms. I would imagine the teachers' unions are the voice——
In regard to the time in which my supplementaries——
Deputy I have devoted considerable time to this question.
Is the Minister aware that there is an increase in the school book grant in that the change to the junior certificate involves the abandonment in many cases of prescribed texts which means students must buy a much wider range of books than previously? Therefore there is need for increased school book grant.
In the course of my dealings I deal with the executives of the teachers' union who, I am quite sure, represent the views of serving teachers. Also when I go around to the schools I have occasion to meet constantly with serving teachers. Indeed, it is not that long since I was one of those teachers.
With regard to the increase in the school book grant, this year we were enabled to give 20 per cent of an increase to the post primary schools in this respect and that level will apply next year also, making a total increase of 40 per cent. I am determined that is not going to go in increased demands by the booksellers. There has to be commonsense. The books should go to service necessitous pupils, not to serve commercial interests.