Education about active citizenship is an integral component of the new Framework for Junior Cycle. For example, one of the 24 'Statements of Learning', that encompass the key knowledge and skills that students will develop during their junior cycle, requires that all students will "value what it means to be an active citizen with rights and responsibilities in local and wider context". In addition, the 8 key skills which underpin the new Framework for Junior Cycle, include "working with others" whereby students should realise and experience how they can "contribute to making the world a better place". As junior cycle students will experience the statements of learning and key skills, it is expected that education for active citizenship will continue to be an important part of the new Junior Cycle.
I recently approved a new short course in CSPE that has been developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). This short course will be available to schools to implement, from this September, should they wish to do so as part of their Junior Cycle programme or they may continue to offer the current syllabus. Schools will choose from one or the other for the up-coming academic year 2014/2015. The new short course aims to inform, inspire, empower and enable young people to participate as active citizens in contemporary society at local, national and global levels based on an understanding of human rights and social responsibilities. It is also important to note that the new CSPE short course is designed for 100 hours of teaching compared to less than 70 hours for the existing CSPE syllabus.
