Changes ‘may be considered to Irish curriculum’

CHANGES may be considered to a new Irish Leaving Certificate curriculum which places more emphasis on the spoken language because of anger in all-Irish schools, Education Minister Mary Coughlan has hinted.

The Tánaiste was responding to concerns raised by Cabinet colleague Pat Carey about a reduced level of literature and prose in the revised course, which will be taught from next autumn and examined at Leaving Certificate level from 2012.

In an effort to boost student interest and oral proficiency in the native language, previous education minister Mary Hanafin announced in 2007 that marks for oral Irish in State exams would be increased to 40% of the overall result.