Sir, - I refer to the letter(May 4th) from the Minister for Education, Ms Bhreathnach, concerning history in the compulsory junior cycle curriculum.
It is a relief to hear that the White Paper did not propose to remove history, and so presumably geography from this curriculum. Yet both these subjects were excluded from the long list in the curricular framework of the White Paper, so it is unfortunate that this section was not written more carefully.
The Minister feels that concern about history may have been based on the misunderstanding that it is compulsory in all schools. This did not apply to representations concerning geography. The important point, however, is that the present offering of these subjects in many schools (where they are not compulsory cannot be taken to indicate what would happen if compulsion in secondary schools were removed. This is because the other categories tend to follow many of the secondary school practices.
The Minister referred to the busy curriculum. It must be emphasised that geography and history have only half subject status in the school time table. Thus they certainly do not exert undue pressure relative to their educational importance.
As reassurance, the Minister stated that history continues to be compulsory in those schools where it has had that status. This relates to the current situation, so would she confirm please that both geography and history will continue to be compulsory and to the present extent. - Yours, etc.,
Trinity College,
Dublin.