Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 September 2025
484. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Education and Youth the measures her Department is putting in place to address the potential increase in workload for teachers arising from the revised primary curriculum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51772/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraOne of the key principles and changes in the new curriculum is increased flexibility for teachers and school leaders. The curriculum provides flexibility and choice to teachers and school leaders as they support each child’s learning journey and in their holistic development. Schools will have greater flexibility in deciding how time is allocated in the curriculum. By delineating some of the time on a monthly basis, the framework gives schools and teachers greater flexibility in deciding how best to use time across the curriculum. It also reduces the likelihood of a particular curriculum area receiving too much or too little attention, thereby ensuring that children have a broad and balanced learning experience.
It is important that we support teachers to roll out the curriculum. There is a significant reduction from 23 curriculum books to 6 more succinct documents that minimise duplication and unnecessary repetition. The specifications also help to address curriculum overload through the use of broad Learning Outcomes rather than very detailed, prescriptive content objectives.
The collaborative process through which each of the specifications were developed enabled the identification of connections across curriculum areas. Each specification provides clarity on the purpose of the primary curriculum through the inclusion of a common set of Principles and Key Competencies. The curriculum enables teachers, as skilled, agentic professionals, to use their knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy and children to enable them to make judgements on how best to enact the curriculum in their school context.
