Plans to introduce a new science syllabus at Junior Cert level in September are "almost like a bribe, which only some schools can avail of", Fine Gael claimed.
The new syllabus is optional and the party's education spokeswoman, Ms Olwyn Enright, said that the "most disadvantaged schools, those with the worst science facilities, have no options". Some schools had no science labs so it was not an option for them "to choose to implement a new curriculum that requires 30 mandatory experiments for which equipment is required". Those schools would not be able to take up the syllabus "because they physically cannot teach it as they do not have the necessary equipment". She questioned how it could be a "level playing field if students are to sit exams based on two different syllabuses".
However, the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, said that everybody had agreed the new syllabus was a "good and positive change and I was not prepared to allow it to be held up".
The cost of grants and new facilities would be about €12 million and that would be prioritised in the Department's building programme. Mr Dempsey said he had been told about "serious deficiencies and faults" in some labs but that was not quite the case. About 12 schools were not in a position to go ahead this year. About 250 schools would be able start "with a small grant of about €3,500 and it is estimated that a further 460 schools will be able to go ahead with a slightly larger grant".
Contrary to the "impression that some people were trying to create to get an extra lab assistant, it is feasible to go ahead with this and we will do so".
