Two new subjects to be added to Leaving Cert curriculum next year

The Education minister said there is 'no shortage' of available teachers for the new subjects.

The subjects - Drama, film and theatre studies, and climate action and sustainable development - will be available to students in 100 schools around the country.

57 schools have been selected to offer Drama, Film and Theatre Studies, while 43 schools will offer Climate Action and Sustainable Development from the start of the next academic year.

The subjects are part of the Senior Cycle Redevelopment Programme, which is aimed at students who might not fit the mould of more traditional subjects.

Two new subjects to be added to Leaving Cert curriculum next year

Each new subject will include additional assessment components (AACs) that are not a traditional written examination.

These AACs will be worth at least 40% of the available marks and will be externally assessed by the State Examinations Commission.

The climate action subject will have an AAC consisting of an action project, will the AAC in drama, film and theatre will be developing a piece of film or theatre.

Minister for Education Norma Foley said: "Many students…do not see themselves reflected in [the] senior cycle experience.

"They absolutely do not, and we have really, really talented, creative, artistic students, and they're not reflected.

"And the interests of students, for example, around climate action and sustainability are not reflected sufficiently either.

"So this is an opportunity not just to reflect the talent and skills and interests of our young people, but to validate them, so that a student who takes drama film and theatre studies or takes climate action and sustainability, that their achievement in education is on a similar par of the student who takes science or languages or whatever. So it's a very positive step forward."

When asked if there would be enough teachers to roll out the new subject, Ms Foley said there had been 'no shortage' of staff 'willing to step forward'.

"Some of them are coming with masters in the particular disciplines, whether it's in terms of climate action, or whether it's in terms of drama, film and theatre."

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