Vol. 518 No. 3
279 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will give details of the in-service courses in science for second level teachers; and the number of man-hours of participants in each of the past four years. [11377/00]
A range of training events in the science area were funded by my Department over the years concerned. These events were organised by a number of course providers, including the Irish Science Teachers Association, the Royal Irish Academy and the Royal Dublin Society. Data are not readily available to provide the more detailed information requested.
As part of a wide-ranging initiative introduced by my Department in March last year in the areas of physics and chemistry, a comprehensive inservice and support programme for the teachers in those leaving certificate subjects is being implemented at present. This programme started in the autumn 1999 and is due to continue for three years until the end of the school-year 2001-02. The plan is to provide two and a half days for each leaving certificate teacher concerned in the current school year. Further training will be provided in the remaining years of the programme for these teachers to meet identified needs.
Additional training for teachers in the area in question will be provided in the context of other revised syllabuses being developed at present by the NCCA.
