A government advisory body has warned against further delays in bringing in the new primary school curriculum, due to be introduced in the current academic year.
The Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (ICSTI), which advises the Government and the industrial and technological promotion body Forfas, has called on the Minister for Education, Mr Martin, to give the science syllabus priority in the phased introduction of the curriculum.
It warned of a severe risk of teachers being overloaded by the curriculum unless the planning and implementation were handled carefully and coherently.
The ICSTI noted that there had already been considerable delays in completing the revision of the curriculum. In 1994 the then secretary of the Department said it was intended to have it ready for implementation from September 1995. "Now there are warnings that the implementation may not be ready to begin in autumn 1998."
A Department spokesman said the curriculum was only due to be handed over by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to the Minister next month. There would then be a further delay while European tenders were sought to publish the massive document. However, he expected that in-service teacher training would begin in this academic year. The academic year runs until June 1999.
The ICSTI urged Mr Martin to give new impetus to curriculum implementation and to put in place immediately the procedures and resources so that retraining could begin in the current school year.
It asked for retraining priority for science. "Greater confidence in dealing with science and technology is a key condition for the development of an Irish economy capable of maintaining its citizens into the new millennium."
