Reduced hours for religion in new primary curriculum for schools in Kilkenny

The Minister for Education has said there will be a reduction to the minimum hours for religion in primary schools in Kilkenny and across Ireland as part of the new curriculum.

However, Norma Foley said there will be more autonomy given to schools for “flexitime” to decide what subjects should be given extra time.

“There is flexitime available to schools who will know best what areas need to be augmented. That autonomy is being given to the schools,” she added.

Announcing the new Primary Curriculum Framework, Ms Foley accepted there would always be contention when the curriculum is changed but the decision was made after broad consultation with “all education partners”.

The framework is designed to shape the work of all primary and special schools over the coming years.

She said there was a need for the curriculum framework to be “of the 21st century”.

Asked about the debate around gender identity being taught in schools, she said leadership on this would come from the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCAA) after broad consultation and engagement.

“All views are welcome across the partners in education and wider society,” she added.

Asked about comments from President Michael D Higgins that sexuality should be taught in schools, Ms Foley said the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) part of the framework will be developed by the NCAA but “that work has not yet commenced”.

She said there would be wide consultation on this as well.

“That’s the great beauty of what we achieve in education, we do invite the expertise, the views and the input of such a wide range of people,” she said.

She said the overall framework had been “positively received” by education groups, adding that the announcement of the new “overarching vision” for primary schools was a “groundbreaking day for education”.

Ms Foley said “modern foreign languages” will officially be introduced to the primary school curriculum on a staged basis from September 2025, after a pilot involving 700 schools.

She said necessary upskilling would be provided to staff.

Ms Foley also said work is near completion on the first elements of the new mathematics curriculum.