25th February 2020
The NCCA have this morning (Tuesday, February 25th) published the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework on their website.
The publication of the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework is a significant milestone in the work of the Board for Early Childhood and Primary. At this consultation phase, the NCCA welcome feedback from teachers, school leaders, early childhood practitioners, children and students, parents, those involved in the continuum of teacher education, researchers and the wider public. INTO strongly urge members to engage with this consultation process as teachers’ involvement in curriculum design is paramount.
Irish teachers have a unique role in curriculum planning. The 1999 curriculum was a combined effort, developed through a partnership process involving teachers, parents, school management and the Department of Education. Primary teachers and the INTO were active participants in preparing the revised curriculum of 1999 through their participation on committees designing and preparing curriculum content. The input of teachers cannot be underestimated as their contributions are based on real-life situations and lived experiences in a school context and we must ensure that the voice of the teacher continues to resonate in any updated curriculum. In general, while the primary school curriculum 1999 was well-received by teachers, it emerged over the years that certain aspects posed challenges, including a strong sense of curriculum overload and increasing pressure to participate in a plethora of initiatives and programmes that were introduced to support the curriculum.
In addition to online resources including e-bulletins which will be disseminated monthly to those registered on their website, the NCCA will also hold curriculum consultation meetings nationwide over the coming months.
INTO will also be hosting a series of consultations in various venues across the country later this year, following our successful Education Conference in November last which centred on the theme of Curriculum development. We urge all members, where possible, to attend their local meeting and have their voice heard at this significant juncture.
The draft framework is available here.