Fundamental changes in the content of the primary school curriculum, including the introduction of science, have been announced by the Department of Education.
More than £5 million will be spent during the next year to support the introduction of the new curriculum, which will affect about 21,000 primary school teachers and 460,000 pupils in more than 3,000 schools around the State. It will be phased in over the next three to five years.
In the most radical shake-up in almost 30 years, the curriculum is to be reorganised into six areas, subdivided into 11 subjects. Key changes include a new Irish curriculum, based on a communicative approach; a revised English syllabus, and new approaches to language learning, reading and writing. The mathematics syllabus will feature a greater emphasis on problem solving.
The six areas are: language (Irish and English); mathematics; social, environmental and scientific education (history, geography, science); arts education (music, visual arts, drama); physical education; social, personal and health education.
The reform has had a lukewarm reception from the primary teachers' union. The general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), Senator Joe O'Toole, welcomed the new curriculum as "the way forward" but said what "should be the most exciting day for a quarter of a century in Irish education" had been overshadowed by teachers' concern over resources. A spokesman for the Department of Education and Science said he was "surprised at the negativity of Senator Joe O'Toole" as the INTO had participated fully in devising the curriculum.
Other teachers' unions and parents' groups gave a warmer welcome. The National Parents' Council-Primary said the change "reflects a shared vision of what is important for children in the year 2000 and beyond". The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland praised the curriculum's emphasis on basic literacy and numeracy and its approach to teaching Irish.