THE Minister for Education, Ms Breathnach, has decided that history and geography will, after all, be retained as core subjects in the Junior Cert curriculum. "In Ireland above all the Minister feels we need to have a sense of what historical forces have shaped us," her spokeswoman said last night.
Prof Nicholas Canny, chairman of the Irish Committee of Historical Sciences, said the Minister told their conference in Dublin on Saturday that, despite the references to the subjects in her White Paper on Education, history and geography were not to be dropped. "It wouldn't be right to describe it as a surrender, but I welcome what the Minister said," Prof Canny told The Irish Times.
However, he was uneasy that a distinction was being drawn between core and required subjects.
"I won't be satisfied until history is in the curriculum." He said he believed "required" represented a stronger commitment than "core".
Mr Micheal Martin, education spokesman for Fianna Fail, said he welcomed the Minister's "reversal of policy". He thought it was not unconnected with the fact that Fianna Fail had put down a private members' motion this week to amend the White Paper.
Mr Martin said he had been astonished at the reaction he had received - and not just from teachers - at the proposal inherent in the White Paper that history and geography would not have to be studied at Junior Cert level.
The spokeswoman for Ms Breathnach said last night the Minister welcomed the debate on the role of history and geography that the White Paper had caused.
Ms Breathnach is to discuss the issue tomorrow with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the statutory body that advises on the curriculum.
