The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. Decisions were made in order to control expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long term. While education was protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, it could not be entirely spared. I have always accepted and acknowledged that the decision in the Budget last October to increase the pupil-teacher ratio across all second-level schools will have an impact on teacher numbers, class sizes and subject choices in our post-primary schools from the commencement of the 2009/10 school year.
Teacher allocations to schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The deployment of teaching staff, the range of subjects offered and approaches to class grouping are matters for local decision by school management. Where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department considers applications for additional short term support i.e. curricular concessions. This concession is available as a short term support to enable essential curricular provision to continue.
The Revised Programme for Government commits the Government to no further increase in the pupil-teacher ratio in primary and second level schools for the lifetime of this Government. Under the revised programme we will provide 500 teaching posts between primary and second levels over the next three years. My Department will be consulting with the education partners in relation to the allocation of these additional posts.
Given the current financial situation the country faces, it is imperative that we deploy staff and other resources in the most effective way across the education sector.
In the OECD Pisa (Programme of International Student Assessment) 2006 study of 15 year olds across 57 countries, Ireland performs at the OECD average in Maths and significantly above average in science. A major programme of reform in Maths in second level schools is being rolled out under Project Maths. Professional development programmes are currently happening throughout the country for teachers as a preface to a major programme of reform in the teaching of Maths which will begin in 2010/11 in junior and senior cycle. This will change how mathematics is taught in our schools on a phased basis in the years ahead. Project Maths is designed to teach Mathematics in a way which promotes real understanding, where students can appreciate the relevance of what they are learning and its application to everyday life, and how mathematics can be used to solve problems. Some €3m in professional development for teachers is being invested in this area in 2009, and the investment will continue to at least 2013. The Government attaches key importance to improving standards in Mathematics. We are addressing this through investment in the critical area which impacts on learning, that is, the quality of teaching.
In regard to science, a revised syllabus in Junior Certificate science was introduced in 2003 placing a key emphasis on hands on investigative processes and the completion of some 30 mandatory experiments over the three year cycle 35% of the marks in the Junior Certificate are available for assessment of practical coursework. A major target in the Science Technology and Innovation Strategy is to continue this emphasis into senior cycle as part of a strategy to increase participation in the physical sciences to 20%. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has developed revised draft syllabuses in LC Physics, Chemistry and Biology and is currently trialling various assessment approaches. I look forward to receiving the Council's advice on science at an early date.
