Bernie Judge, Education & Research Officer, TUI said:
"Art is not the only area in which a revised and updated syllabus has unacceptably been put on ice. Earlier this year the Department indicated that the implementation of the second strand of technology subjects including engineering technology and architectural technology will also be delayed, despite promises in 2007 guaranteeing implementation in 2008. Insufficient resources for upgrading facilities and providing essential professional development continue to be offered as a justification for delaying implementation. This is a disappointing and pitiful excuse for inertia.”
Ms Judge continued that “at a time when the country continues to enjoy the benefits of the successful economy generated over the past ten years, offering budgetary constraints and caution on public spending as a valid reason for the further delay shows nothing but contempt for all education stakeholders. If this is the situation today, what hope do we have for future syllabi implementation if our economy falters somewhat in the coming years?”
“Syllabus development in Ireland is subject to a rigorous consultation process involving the key partners in education – the Department of Education and Science, Teacher Unions, Management Bodies and subject associations, business interests, third level colleges and the National Council of Curriculum and Assessment.
“The syllabi in question were subject to this process and failure to implement them now will mean that they will be outdated before they are actually implemented. This is an insult not just to those involved in designing the new syllabuses but to students, parents and the wider body of teachers. Worse still, failure to implement and modernise these subjects (art, craft, design and technology related subjects) may have the effect of diminishing their relevance to our modern day economic, social and cultural environment, thereby diminishing student interest in them. “
“The TUI accepts that phased implementation of new syllabi is reasonable and manageable from a number of educational and operational perspectives. Such an approach is relevant in the context of a genuine commitment to implement new syllabi within a reasonable timeframe after they have been agreed through consultation. It does not justify the recent approach by the Department to promote the introduction of newer initiatives such as those proposed in Maths ahead of other subject areas where proposed changes are grounded in strong educational argument and more than justified in the context of the kind of learning opportunities that should be offered to modern day students. We now seriously doubt the Department's commitment to making today’s educational experience relevant and interesting for all students. “
“All of these subjects have strong ICT components. The Department continually suggests that ICT should be embedded across the curriculum. This is a surely contradictory as such an approach to classroom interaction and learning cannot be achieved with any significant results if the government fails to introduce new syllabuses that have been designed to embrace technology as a core medium of teaching and learning. “
“It is untenable that final implementation of new syllabuses designed through a comprehensive consultation process is left in abeyance because of failure by the government to provide resources. It seems we are left with two questions in relation to how the government propose to support curriculum change into the future.
Is the Department’s operandi simply to make empty promises and hollow sentiments? Will curriculum change be driven more by the whims of the Minister of the day as opposed to the outcome of comprehensive research, consultation with the education and the advice of the NCCA whose mandate it is to advise the Department on relevant changes? Sadly, it seems the answer to both is ‘yes’. “