It is vital that all new and revised Senior Cycle subjects have the trust of teachers, ASTI President Donal Cremin said today.
Commenting on the launch of two new Senior Cycle subjects – Drama, Film and Theatre Studies, and Climate Action and Sustainable Development – Mr Cremin said:
“The ASTI supports the launch of these new subjects and the Minister for Education Norma Foley’s commitment to a broad curriculum for young people.”
The new subjects are two of nine new and revised Senior Cycle subject specifications which are due to be implemented in second-level schools from the start of the 2025/26 school year. Additional revised subject specifications will roll out over the coming years.
The ASTI President said that the views of teachers – the classroom practitioners – are of paramount importance in the development of new and revised subject specifications:
“It is vital that all new and revised subjects are based on a high-quality, relevant curriculum and that their implementation is properly resourced.
“In this context, it is regrettable that teachers have a number of outstanding concerns in relation to the revised subject specifications for Senior Cycle Biology, Chemistry and Physics.”
The ASTI’s concerns include a one-size-fits-all requirement for additional assessment components, failure by the NCCA to share submissions during the public consultation process on draft subject specifications with members of the Subject Development Groups, and concerns about the adequacy of laboratory facilities in second-level schools.
“The ASTI has communicated teachers’ concerns to the Minister and it is still within the Minister’s grasp to address these,” said Mr Cremin.
“It is crucial that the shortcomings identified by the ASTI in the subject development processes for Biology, Chemistry and Physics are addressed and are not repeated. Teachers must be confident that new and revised Senior Cycle subject specifications are fit for purpose, that their implementation will be a success, and that there will not be unintended consequences”.
ENDS
Issued by Gemma Tuffy, Communications Official. Tel: 01/6040172; email: [email protected]
