A wide-ranging new strategy aimed at ensuring that every child leaves school having mastered literacy and numeracy was launched last Friday by Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Ruairí Quinn TD.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Quinn said: “It is the government’s belief that no child should leave school unable to read and write and use mathematics to solve problems. We know that there is currently much room for improvement, and this strategy sets out the road map with concrete targets and reforms that will ensure our children, from early childhood to the end of second level, master these key skills.”
Ambitious targets have been set under the Strategy, to be achieved by 2020. Nationally, the aims include:
* At primary level, increasing the number of children performing at Level 3 or above (the highest levels) in the national assessments of reading and mathematics by 5 percentage points
* Reducing the percentage performing at or below the lowest level (Level 1) by 5 percentage points
* At post-primary level, increasing the number of 15-year old students performing at Level 4 or above (the highest levels) in the OECD’s PISA test of literacy and mathematics by at least 5 percentage points
* Halve the numbers performing at Level 1 (the lowest level) in the PISA test of literacy and mathematics
* Improve early childhood education and public attitudes to reading and mathematics
According to Minister Quinn, the strategy aims to ensure that teachers and schools maintain a strong focus on literacy and numeracy skills within a broad and balanced curriculum. It sets out a wide-ranging programme of reforms in initial teacher education courses, in professional development for teachers and school principals, and in the content of the curriculum at primary and post-primary levels in order to achieve these vital skills.
Under the plan, schools are to make greater use of standardised tests of reading and mathematics in second and sixth class in primary, and to introduce these tests for 2nd year students in post-primary education. They will report the findings to parents, boards of management and the Department of Education and Skills. Schools will be required to develop and implement school improvement plans in accordance with guidance from the Department’s Inspectorate.
