Vol. 519 No. 5
360 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of man hours, per teacher, of inservice he expects to provide in science for primary teachers in order to introduce the primary science curriculum. [14471/00]
As a minimum, two days inservice, each of six hours duration, will be delivered to every primary teacher to enable the process of the introduction of science to begin in schools. This work will take place within the broader context of the curriculum area social, environmental and scientific education, which also includes history and geography. All inservice support will form part of the co-ordinated support programme which my Department has put in place to assist in the implementation of the revised primary school curriculum. The activities of the support programme will span a period of at least five years and courses will be delivered during the school year.
A range of other activities will complement the introduction of science. Already all primary teachers have attended a two-day course entitled An Introduction to the Primary School Curriculum. During this course, the changes in emphases in the revised curriculum were outlined within a context which emphasised the approaches to learning which are being promoted across the curriculum, and included activities in science. This work was contextualised for the individual school during the school-based planning day which followed.
Complementing the activities of the primary curriculum support programme, the education centre network, as part of its normal programme of activities, regularly assesses teacher in-career development needs within its catchment area. To date, a number of courses on primary science have been delivered. In addition, my Department, as part of an extensive programme of summer courses for primary teachers, will be supporting a comprehensive programme in primary science, attendance at which will be on a voluntary basis.
