MINISTER for Education and Skills Ruairí Quinn has said the curriculum for secondary schools in
Ireland is no longer fit for purpose.
Speaking in Cork yesterday, Mr Quinn said the curriculum needed complete reform.
“Quite frankly, our second level education curriculum is not really fit for purpose, specifically the junior cycle,” he said.
Mr Quinn wants to reform the Junior Cert to require students to demonstrate their understanding and competence rather than simply memorising facts.
He also pointed towards the massive shift globally in technology in recent years, with smart phones, tablets and eReaders replacing books and traditional computers.
“Technology will change the way we learn and the way we live,” he said.
Mr Quinn was speaking at the opening of a new wing of Mount Mercy College on the Model Farm Road. He said new entrants to secondary school in 2014 wouldwill be the first to undertake his reformed curriculum.