INTO President on Climate Change comments 04/03/09

PRESS RELEASE: Statement by Declan Kelleher, INTO President, on comments by Sean Barrett, Chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Change

4th March 2009

INTO: Familiarizing the Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Change with the content of the primary school curriculum is a sine qua non in the development of informed comment on climate change.

The INTO said today that Sean Barrett, the Chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Change should read the Primary School Curriculum before making comments about what should be in it.

In a press release yesterday, Fine Gael TD Seán Barrett, the Chairperson of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Change urged the inclusion of climate change and energy security in school curriculum. He said school children should learn about climate change and energy security to ensure that the next generation plays its part in fighting global warming. “I would suggest that familiarizing school students with these major issues of our age is a sine qua non in the development of long-term sustainability strategies for our planet's future,” said Mr Barrett.

In response, INTO President Declan Kelleher said it is clear that Mr Barrett didn’t actually look at the primary school curriculum before he made his remarks.

“Had he actually opened the geography and the science curricula he would have seen that geography encourages children to appreciate interdependence and promotes an informed sense of individual and community responsibility for environmental care,” said Mr Kelleher. “A fundamental aspect of the geography curriculum will be to awaken a sensitivity to the impact of change and human actions on the character of these environments.

Mr Kelleher said geography fosters the notion of people as custodians of the Earth for future generations and provides opportunities for children to develop and apply knowledge and skills so as to contribute in a meaningful way to the discussion and resolution of environmental issues.

According to the INTO the primary Science curriculum contains many of the attitudinal aims of the geography curricula. It emphasises that children's experience of science should lead to the development, understanding and appreciation of the positive contribution of science and technology to society, encourage positive environmental action, a commitment to sustainable life-styles and a sense of personal and community responsibility as custodians of the Earth.

“Contrary to what probably constituted the study of geography when Mr Barrett went to school, today’s curriculum actually states that mere rote memorisation of the names of physical features, towns and countries contributes little to the learning process,” said Mr Kelleher.

He said tonight’s obair bhaile for the Chairperson of the Committee would be to read the science and geography curriculum.

ENDS.