The Minister of State for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock, TD, has welcomed the embedding of Physical Education (PE) and well-being in the revised Junior Certificate programme.
The new “Framework for Junior Cycle”, launched last October by the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD, was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).
The Framework is based on eight Principles. One of these is “Wellbeing”, which promotes physical wellbeing. In addition, eight Key Skills are required for successful learning across the curriculum and beyond the school. This is in recognition of the fact that learning takes place both inside and outside of the formal school environment. One of these Key Skills is “Staying Well”, which adopts a holistic approach to wellbeing and includes “Being healthy, physical and active”.
Statements of Learning describe what a student should have learnt and be able to do at the end of the three year programme. Several of these statements promote wellbeing and confident and competent participation in physical activity, along with understanding the importance of food, diet and making healthy lifestyle choices.
Also as part of the revised Junior Cert., short courses prepared by the NCCA will be available in PE for schools from 2014. These courses may be assessed as a part of the School Certificate in the new Junior Cycle.
Speaking about the revised programme, Minister Sherlock said, “These developments by the NCCA are very welcome. They promote the idea of physical activity and well-being as a core part of the curriculum.
“We all need to be conscious of our life-style choices, and this programme gives students the tools to make informed decisions about how to live more healthily and be more active.
“It is not a case of confining these decisions to certain parts of the curriculum; instead students learn about them in all areas of their studies.”
Currently, all second-level schools should provide PE as part of the curriculum and there is an approved syllabus for the subject. Healthy lifestyles and physical exercise also feature in the Social Personal and Health Education Programme, which is mandatory in primary schools and in junior cycle.
Minister Sherlock also encouraged schools to take part in ”Active Schools Week”, taking place from April 29th next. This forms part of the Active School Flag (ASF) programme, launched by the Department of Education and Skills in 2009. The Programme aims to motivate and reward schools which strive to achieve a physically active and physically educated school community. To date, over 1,000 schools have registered for participation in the Programme.
The Minister said, “This high level of interest shows a desire by teachers and schools to ensure that young people are as active as possible. Active Schools Week builds on this and I would encourage all schools to take part”.