Brandon Scott
The Catholic Education Partnership, a group advocating for Catholic education at primary, post-primary, third level and adult levels in Ireland, published a report taken from its consultations with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). Chief amongst the list of recommendations was the affirmation that the values of Catholic school’s curriculum be linked to the ethos of the school.
Speaking on behalf of the board of the Catholic Education Partnership, Chief Executive Alan Hynes said that he “welcomed the publication of the draft curriculum specifications and the consultation process which the NCCA is currently engaged” and outlined how “Catholics value education as a holistic endeavour, with the full totality of the person, physical, moral, intellectual, emotional and social, being brought to flourish”.
In total, the Catholic Education Partnership submitted a list of 7 recommendations to address where they believe “improvements can be made” in Catholic schools and create a vision for how “education may serve the common good, both local and global”.
Particular recommendations called for a strengthening of the alignment between the curriculum’s values and the inherent ethos of Catholic schools; the spiritual aspect of the education and development be given explicit recognition through the curriculum; that wellbeing be treated as an aspect of school culture as opposed to an activity confined to a particular subject area and that religious wellbeing be recognised. Other recommendations focussed on the respectful promotion of Catholic education alongside prevailing trends and ongoing societal/cultural changes.
The full report can be accessed on the Catholic Education Partnership’s website, www.catholiceducation.ie