Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2024
213. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education to provide a list of all second-level education institutions aided by her Department in which there was no provision of a laboratory technician for the teaching of leaving certificate science subjects, for each year since 2005, in tabular form. [28016/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI assume the Deputy is referring to recognised schools under the Education Act, 1998 and the reference to science subjects means primarily Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
These three science subjects are optional subjects which students opt to take at Leaving Certificate level and significant numbers of students choose these subjects currently. The current syllabi for Chemistry and Physics were introduced in 2000 and first examined in 2002, while the syllabus for Biology was introduced in 2002 and first examined in 2004.
Over this period and up to 2023 the number of candidates sitting Biology has increased by from 24,060 candidates in 2001 to 34,603 in 2023; the numbers sitting Chemistry have risen from 6,355 candidates in 2001 to 9,750 in 2023 whilst the number sitting Physics has decreased marginally over the same period from 8,411 in 2001 to 7,767 in 2023.
In March 2022, I announced an ambitious programme of redevelopment of Senior Cycle, under which all Leaving Certificate subjects and modules would be revised in annual tranches. All new and revised subject specifications will include additional assessment components (AACs) worth at least 40% of the overall marks.
Biology, Chemistry and Physics are part of the first tranche of revised subjects, to be introduced in schools nationally in the 2025/2026 school year.
The NCCA Councill at its June meeting approved the revised specifications which were developed by a Subject Development Group whose membership included practising science teachers and which included a comprehensive consultation process. Those draft specifications will now be considered by my Department and myself ahead of their final approval and introduction. The introduction of the revised curriculum and assessment arrangements will be supported by a strong programme of teacher professional learning to be delivered by Oide, and the provision of an expanded package of sample assessment materials by the SEC at a significantly earlier date than has previously been the case.
My Department in allocating staff to schools does not provide for a grade of laboratory technician and consequently the data sought by the Deputy is not available from, or held by, my Department. It is important to note that the current specifications or curriculum contain a number of experiments which are to be conducted in schools by teachers and students and a similar approach is being taken in the revised specifications. Therefore, I would point out that the curriculum has not been written on the basis that laboratory technicians are available in schools.
