The Teaching of Social, Personal & Health Education (SPHE) in Secondary Schools

Uimhir:80

Ceist Pharlaiminte

Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha

To the Minister for Education and Science

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers who are currently trained in secondary schools to teach social, personal and health education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. €“ Anthony Lawlor.

* For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 23rd November, 2011.

Reference Number: 36488/11

Freagra

Minister Ruairí Quinn

Since September 2003, all post primary schools have been required to timetable Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) as part of the junior cycle core curriculum. The time allocation recommended is one class period per week. To support schools in delivering SPHE, a curriculum framework along with implementation guidelines have been developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

The Department, through the SPHE and other support services, delivers a range of continuing professional development courses to upskill teachers on an ongoing basis. A total of 12,933 teachers have received training through the SPHE Support Service since 2004.

It is a matter for each school to ensure that teachers delivering the programme are suitably qualified and engage in appropriate continuing professional development.

Uimhir:81

Ceist Pharlaiminte

Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha

To the Minister for Education and Science

To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondary schools that currently have social, personal and health education as a course on their curriculum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. €“ Anthony Lawlor.

* For WRITTEN answer on Wednesday, 23rd November, 2011.

Reference Number: 36489/11

Freagra

Minister Ruairí Quinn

A total of 704 schools out of 729 schools offered SPHE as a subject last year. The remainder are specialist PLC colleges which do not provide the second level curriculum. Final data from all schools or 2011/12 has not been fully processed yet.

The Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme is a mandatory part of the curriculum in primary schools and in junior cycle since 2003 and is designed to promote positive mental health. It is already supported by comprehensive teacher guidelines and curriculum support services which provide training and advice for schools and a resource directory. Its aim is to foster personal development, health and well being of children, to help them create and maintain supportive relationships, and develop the skills and attitudes for responsible citizenship. SPHE is designed for implementation in the context of a caring whole-school approach which is supported by the pastoral care structures in schools.

The implementation of the SPHE curriculum is supported by national programmes of professional development for teachers at primary and post primary level provided by the curriculum support services.