New Leaving Cert curriculum 'will favour children of wealthy families' – TD

Cork North-Central Labour TD Eoghan Kenny — a teacher until elected last November — said the Government had failed to provide proper training to teachers to roll out curriculum reforms which he said were 'rushed, poorly thought-out, and poorly resourced'. Picture: Larry Cummins

Education Minister Helen McEntee has been accused of rolling out a new Leaving Cert curriculum that favours children from wealthy families.

Labour TD Eoghan Kenny also claimed that the Government has failed to provide proper training to teachers to roll out change, stating that the reforms are “rushed, poorly thought-out, and poorly resourced”.

A new reformed senior cycle syllabus for business, biology, chemistry, physics, Arabic, Latin, and ancient Greek is due to start this September with the first students sitting the changed Leaving Certificate exams in 2027.

As a former secondary school business teacher, who only gave up the profession when he was elected to the Dáil in November, Mr Kenny said he had “one training day, a few hours of in-service” on the changes.

“Put yourself in the shoes of a chemistry teacher who will be teaching the new syllabus, including a whopping 40% individual project, with basically a few hours of in-service,” he told the Dáil. 
"This is totally unfair on teachers and is definitely unfair on students. 

Full training must be provided prior to the rolling out of any new syllabus but that is not happening on the ground.

The Cork North-Central TD added that the significant difference in resources between public and private schools will also put some students at a disadvantage when the changes are introduced.

“It will come as no surprise that private schools are well equipped with technology, suites of laboratories and, in some cases, lab technicians to advise on the use of the lab.

“Then move to the local voluntary school: 100-year-old infrastructure, more than likely two very basic science labs, sporadic wi-fi connection. In other words, the minister is presiding over a senior cycle reform that favours children of more affluent families,” he said.

Education Minister Helen McEntee said her “number one goal and priority” is to ensure sure every young person — irrespective of their background, where they come from, or what school they go to — is supported, and that teachers are resourced and supported to help them achieve their full ability.

She told the Dáil: “We need to make sure young people leaving school are equipped with the skills and ability to live in, work in, and respond to the world we live in now, which has changed completely.

“The economy and the jobs we work in have changed. Technology has taken over so much of what we do in a positive way, yet there are challenges as well.

“It is important that State exams reflect all this and equip and support our young people to go into the world we live in.”

Defending the supports and training provided to teachers, she said official engagement on senior cycle reform started in 2016.

She added that engagement with all stakeholders, including principals, teachers, school leaders, boards of management, and, above all, students will continue.