Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 June 2024
73. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education her plans to expand the curriculum to include education on disabilities and difference among peers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27466/24]
View answerMy Department is committed to inclusive education for all. It is the aim of the Department that every child has access to equitable education and that each learner feels safe and happy in the school environment, at every stage. It is essential that schools are places of openness and welcome for all students irrespective of their background, gender, or ethnicity. They are places of inclusion.
Within school communities, the Wellbeing curriculum plays a central role in supporting children's learning 'about' and 'for' well-being, fostering inclusive learning environments based on human rights, equality and anti-discrimination principles. The curriculum fosters a perspective in which children not only perceive themselves and others as unique individuals but also as integral members of communities and society. By instilling a commitment to actively advocate for fairness and inclusivity, the curriculum recognises children as empowered citizens who play an active role in building equitable and inclusive classrooms, schools, communities and societies.
Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary junior cycle. SPHE is one of the pillars of the Well-being curriculum in our schools.
The SPHE curriculum strives to foster an understanding and appreciation of all children and young people. Through the curriculum objectives, our children and young people are supported to develop self-confidence and a positive sense of self, and to appreciate and respect the human and cultural diversity that exists in society. To this end, the curriculum aims to foster in the learner a sense of care and respect for himself/herself and others and an appreciation of the dignity of every human being.
The SPHE curriculum supports teachers in adopting an approach that is inclusive in accordance with principles of equality, human rights and responsibilities. This ensures that all students can see themselves, their families and their communities reflected across the learning and can learn to value diversity as a feature of humankind and as a source of enrichment. SPHE thus contributes to building a cohesive, compassionate and fair society; one that is inclusive of all sexualities, ethnicities, genders, religious beliefs/worldviews, social classes and abilities/disabilities.
In the context of social, economic, cultural, ethnic and religious diversity, the SPHE curriculum seeks to foster in the learner attitudes and behaviour that are characterised by understanding, empathy, and mutual respect. It addresses, too, the issues of equity and human rights, and fosters in the child the realisation that rights have associated responsibilities. Concepts of empathy, respect and inclusiveness are nurtured through the learning experiences offered and through the attitudes and practices inherent in the organisational structures of the class and the school. One of the aims of the SPHE curriculum is to enable the learner to respect human and cultural diversity and to appreciate and understand the interdependent nature of the world.
Following a public consultation by the NCCA, an updated SPHE specification was introduced for Junior Cycle from last September. The learning outcomes include that students should be able to ‘recognise the factors and influences that shape young people’s self-identity, such as family, peers, culture, gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnic background, dis/abilities, religious beliefs/world-views’, to ‘discuss experiences/situations of bias, inequality or exclusion and devise ways to actively create more inclusive environments’, and to ‘reflect on the meaning and importance of empathy and discuss ways that it can be expressed’.
It is intended that the SPHE specification for Senior Cycle will be made available to schools shortly. As part of the specification, students will learn about their rights and responsibilities before the law as young adults as well as about the skills needed to stand up for themselves and others, and the range of situations where this might arise.
A public consultation on a draft Primary Well-being specification has taken place from March 6th to June 7th 2024, with the deadline for written submissions extended to June 18th. It is intended to have the new specification available to schools for the 2025-26 school year.
