€40m funding for new technology equipment
- Published: 02 December 2005
01 December, 2005 - Minister Hanafin announces €40m funding for new technology equipment in over 500 post-primary schools
Over 500 post primary schools around the country are to receive grants to replace and modernise equipment in metalwork and technology rooms. Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin T.D. today announced that she is providing €40million to address key safety issues in specialist technology rooms and to enable schools to prepare in the coming year for the introduction of the revised Leaving Certificate syllabi in Technology and Design and Communications.
Minister Hanafin said two new Leaving Certificate syllabi will be offered to Leaving Certificate students from the start 2007/2008 school year, and will be examined for the first time in 2009. The Minister announced the additional funding and new subjects as she launched a report on a recent review of Occupational Health and Safety in the Technologies in the Post-Primary sector undertaken by the State Claims Agency in co-operation with the Department of Education and Science.
"The €40million grants being provided to schools will allow them to immediately replace and modernise existing equipment in metalwork and technology rooms. It will also mean that schools and teachers will be ready for the introduction of the revised syllabi in Technology and Design and Communications Graphics.
The new Leaving Certificate subject Technology will allow for a progression for students studying the subject in Junior Cert, where some 10,800 in 154 schools study the subject. This new subject will enable students develop an understanding of how technology impacts on our everyday lives and on society generally. The subject will also engage students in health and safety, design, analysis, research, problem solving and evaluation and presentation.
The new subject of Design and Graphics will replace Technical Drawing. This new subject will introduce students to the essential principles of graphics and how to apply them in a variety of design situations. At present 13,500 students in over 450 schools are studying Technical Drawing at Leaving Certificate level. The new subject will test students' skills of investigation, critical thinking and problem solving."
