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School Curriculum

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2019

Tuesday, 5 March 2019

Ceisteanna (207)

Alan Farrell

Ceist:

207. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on making home economics compulsory for students up to junior certificate level with a view to reducing levels of childhood obesity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10840/19]

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Freagraí scríofa

The NCCA initiated a debate on the nature of junior cycle in 2010, with an initial discussion paper entitled Innovation and Identity: Ideas for a New Junior Cycle. The mandatory nature of subjects was considered in this debate.  Following consultation and consideration, the decision was made that English, Irish and Mathematics would be ‘core’ subjects which all students would experience in junior cycle. Given the multiplicity of views around what other subjects, if any, should be core, the NCCA created the 24 Statements of Learning to reflect the main priorities for learning for all students which emerged from the feedback and introduced short courses to keep the door open for ‘new’ areas of learning to be introduced in schools.  Some of these statements for learning are relevant to the health and well-being of students, for example one of the statements of learning is 'takes action to safeguard and promote her/his wellbeing and that of others'.

My Department is active in the area of promotion of health and well-being in schools.  The issue of promoting healthy eating is addressed in schools through subjects such as Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), and Home Economics as well as in Physical Education.  The aim is to equip students with such skills and knowledge to enable them to make appropriate choices for healthy lifestyles.

Healthy Lifestyles guidance issued to post-primary schools in 2015 and primary schools in 2016. This guidance was drafted in consultation with the Department of Health and my Department would like to acknowledge the commitment of schools in promoting healthy lifestyle choices for students in a number of ways, through the curriculum, through schools policy including healthy lunch policies and by the use of resources and programmes chosen by the school.

Schools are strongly encouraged to have a formal healthy eating policy that has been developed in consultation with students and parents. 

The NCCA has developed a new home economics specification which was introduced for new junior cycle entrants from September 2018.

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