Vol. 407 No. 5
68 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education if, in relation to the leaving certificate vocational programme, she will outline the number of participants in the programme since its inception; the school subjects which are taken by students as part of the programme with particular reference to science subjects; and the way these statistics, in relation to science subjects, compare with the figures for leaving certificate students not participating in the programme.
The leaving certificate vocational programme (LCVP), introduced in September 1989 with support from the European Social Fund, provides a two-year vocational training programme giving each participant a strong grounding in a specific technological area (two subjects from construction, engineering and technical drawing), Irish, a modern continental language, and work experience/simulation in the chosen employment area. Participants study at least one other subject from the approved list but if mathematics is chosen, they are required to take the computer studies programme which is at present optional within the leaving certificate syllabus. The programme has a strong technological base which is emphasised through project work undertaken in the technological subjects taken.
A figure of 2,714 participants joined the programme in 1989 and will be sitting the leaving certificate examination this year. It is estimated that in the current year there are of the order of 6,000 pupils taking part in the LCVP two-year cycle. Of the LCVP students who will sit the leaving certificate examination in 1991, it is estimated that 70 per cent will take at least one science subject. A similar percentage, i.e. 70 per cent of all leaving certificate students attending school, will take at least one science subject in the 1991 examination.
