Vol. 440 No. 7
277 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that music is disappearing from our second level schools in that schools have ceased to offer music as a subject for examination, that there is little music on offer as a subject in boys only schools and that there has been no funding supplied to second level schools to implement the course in the Phase 2 subjects.
A total of 1,187 candidates took music as a subject in the leaving certificate examinations in June 1993. This represents an increase of approximately 13 per cent on the pevious year. A total of 8,941 candidates, which represents an increase of approximately 2 per cent, took music as a subject in the junior certificate examination in 1993. These figures do not indicate a decline in the popularity of music as a subject.
While some schools may have ceased to offer music others are taking it up enthusiastically. The excellent reception given to the new syllabus in music at junior certificate is beinng maintained. This augurs well for an increase in the take-up of the subject.
However, as I have stated before, the numbers taking music are not yet as high as I would wish them to be. I have also put on record that I am concerned at the low take-up of the subject by boys.
Finally, in connection with the funding supplied to second-level schools, I wish to inform the Deputy that the position is as follows: Apart from the equipment and resource grant allocation, the Department does not provide recurrent grants for the teaching of individual subjects. There are annual grants available for the setting up and maintenance of school orchestras and military bands. Also, there is a bonus scheme for choirs in secondary schools which enter for the Department's special examinations.
278 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for Education the percentage of leaving certificate students taking music as an examination subject; the number of these who are entering for leaving certificate music privately; the amount of money that has been allocated to schools for the implementation of the new courses for the Phase 2 subjects at junior certificate level; and when this money will be sent to the schools which have applied.
The percentage of leaving certificate students taking music as an examination subject is 2 per cent. I am not in a position to say what proportion of these candidates studied music privately as this information is not available in my Department. I have already answered the last part of the Deputy's questions, relating to funding, in reply to Question No. 277.
279 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for Education the reason music at leaving certificate level is not achieving high grades like the other subjects; the reason aesthetic subjects are being marginalised and becoming unattractive to students.
My interest in promoting music as a subject in second-level schools and colleges is on record. It would be unrealistic to seek a close correlation in the distribution of grades between different leaving certificate subjects because different levels of student motivation, different objectives, different course content, different emphasis and different participation rates inevitably produce different patterns of grade distributions between subjects.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is currently drafting proposals for a revised syllabus in music at senior cycle, consequent on the changes already introduced for the junior cycle. This revised syllabus will not be examined in the leaving certificate for some few years yet. I am setting up a small committee representative of my own Department, the NCCA and music teachers to make interim proposals for the leaving certificate examination in 1995 and subsequent years until the new syllabus is examined. This committee will report to me in time for schools to be informed at the beginning of the 1994-95 school year.
In connection with the perceived marginalisation of aesthetic subjects, I can only reiterate my commitment and wholehearted support for the development of the arts in education.
280 Mr. Harte asked the Minister for Education her views on whether an education without an aesthetic subject is a broad education; if music should be seen to be a viable and rewarding option, in terms of grade, for leaving certificate students; and, in view of the fact that leaving certificate music is a specialist subject, her views on whether it should be given that status.
I firmly believe that an education without an aesthetic subject is undesirable and incomplete. That is why I continue to put on record my wholehearted support for the arts in education.
