Matt Carthy
Ceist:72. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education when she last met with an association (details supplied); and if she proposes to amend the new syllabus for agricultural science. [57322/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 23 November 2021
Ceisteanna (72)
Freagraí scríofa
Agricultural Science forms an important element of the science curriculum at Leaving Certificate level. The new specification was introduced to schools in 2019 and was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) through a Subject Development Group. Members of the Irish Agricultural Science Teachers Association (IASTA) were represented on the NCCA’s Subject Development Group for that subject.
Officials from my Department and from the NCCA met with IASTA earlier this year where some concerns of IASTA regarding the specification were discussed. Following this meeting, IASTA later attended a meeting of an 'Agricultural Science in Practice Group' convened by the NCCA.
The purpose of the 'Agricultural Science in Practice Group' is to act as a forum that can be used to generate and collate early insights and authentic examples from practice of Agricultural Science as it is enacted in classrooms, and to publish these in an NCCA document.
A further meeting of the group is due to be held before the end of 2021.
The State Examinations Commission (SEC) recently published an Information Note in relation to the completion of the Leaving Certificate Agricultural Science Individual Investigative Study 2022. In light of the ongoing Covid-19 related circumstances for the 2022 cohort of candidates, the SEC introduced Additional Flexibilities to the arrangements for the completion of the Study. These flexibilities will ensure that all learners of the subject will be able to conduct and complete an individual investigative study during 2021/22.