Vol. 574 No. 3
180 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of people who have sat An Scrúdú le hAghaidh cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge each year for the past five years; the number who have passed each year; the number who have failed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27034/03]
Following are the number of teachers who entered for the scrúdú le haghaidh cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge, SCG examinations for the last five years: 1999, 93 applicants; 2000, 266 applicants; 2001, 334 applicants; 2002, 432 applicants; 2003, 599 applicants.
The number of candidates who passed each section of the SCG for the past five years were as follows:
|
Year |
Paper 1 |
Paper 2 |
Aural |
Oral |
|
1999 (April) |
23 |
|||
|
(Oct. '99) |
13 |
7 |
13 |
15* |
|
2000 |
90 |
72 |
90 |
98 |
|
2001 |
125 |
96 |
149 |
131 |
|
2002 |
178 |
99 |
181 |
137 |
|
2003 April |
45 |
46 |
56 |
81** |
|
Year |
Paper 1 |
Paper 2 |
Aural |
Oral |
|
1999 (April) |
70 |
|||
|
(Oct. '99) |
13 |
7 |
13 |
15* |
|
2000 |
97 |
99 |
103 |
77 |
|
2001 |
102 |
82 |
65 |
84 |
|
2002 |
102 |
118 |
53 |
115 |
|
2003 April |
142 |
125 |
134 |
83** |
181 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason there is no syllabus available for students who intend to sit an scrúdu le haghaidh cáilíocht sa Ghaeilge; if he will make such proper syllabus available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27035/03]
I established a working group to review all aspects of the syllabus and examination for the scrúdú le haghaidh cailíochta sa Ghaeilge in 2001. Institúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann, the colleges of education, primary school management organisations, INTO, National Parents Council, Primary, and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment were all represented on this working group. Organisations were invited to submit proposals as part of the review of the SCG and all such proposals were given full consideration by the working group in preparing its report.
The report of the working group has now been finalised and is on the point of being presented to my Department. To date the review group has drafted a revised syllabus. The revised syllabus was circulated to all schools in December 2002 and the SCG examinations held on 29, 30 and 31 October 2003 were the first series of SCG examinations to be based on this syllabus.
The review group has also drafted a handbook for the examination. The handbook will contain detailed information on the SCG and will provide answers to a wide range of questions raised by candidates. The review committee is also recommending changes to the content and format of the examination modules to take effect possibly from autumn of 2004. It is also planned to produce a textbook of relevant prose and poetry for future examinations.
182 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on whether the standard of an scrúdu le haghaidh cálíocht sa Ghaelige reflects the standard of Irish examined at primary degree level in the teacher training colleges; his plans to transform the standard of the exam; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27036/03]
Until such time as a teacher passes the SCG, he-she is not considered fully qualified as a teacher in a mainstream national school. Candidates are expected to have knowledge of the teaching methods of Irish as a mother tongue and as a second language to primary school children, and of strategies to promote the use of Irish as a language of communication and as a teaching medium. While some students in the teacher training colleges take Irish to primary degree level, many take the professional Irish programme, Gaeilge ghairmiúil. The standard of Irish required by the SCG would be on a par with the professional Irish programme delivered by the teacher training colleges.
The standard required to obtain a pass in the SCG is the standard of Irish that would enable teachers to teach the language to sixth class in a national school. Candidates must therefore demonstrate that they have attained the level of language competence described in the syllabus and reflected in the examination papers, and that they understand the methodology of teaching Irish as a second language. It must be borne in mind that many primary schools not only teach Irish but have Irish as the principal language of instruction and communication generally. The number of such schools has in fact grown significantly in recent years. A primary teacher may have to teach pupils whose mother tongue is Irish, or who are competent users of the language. Even when teaching Irish to pupils whose mother tongue is English or another language, it is widely accepted by language teachers that in order to be effective, the teacher needs to have a very good command of the language.
I established a working group to review all aspects of the syllabus and examination for the scrúdú le haghaidh cailíochta sa Ghaeilge in 2001. Institúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann, the colleges of education, primary school management organisations, INTO, National Parents Council, Primary, and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment all were represented on this working group. Organisations were invited to submit proposals as part of the review of the SCG and all such proposals were given full consideration by the working group in preparing its report.
The report of the working group has now been finalised and is on the point of being presented to my Department. To date the review group has drafted a revised syllabus. The revised syllabus was circulated to all schools in December 2002 and the SCG examinations held on 29, 30 and 31 October 2003 were the first series of SCG examinations to be based on this syllabus.
The review group has also drafted a handbook for the examination. The handbook will contain detailed information on the SCG and will provide answers to a wide range of questions raised by candidates. The review committee is also recommending changes to the content and format of the examination modules to take effect possibly from autumn of 2004. It is also planned to produce a textbook of relevant prose.
