1925-1926-1927 - Department of Education and Skills

50In the secondary system Rural Science can be taken as a subjectin both the Intermediate and the Leaving Certificate courses. Theteaching of Rural Science in secondary schools is, however, restrictedat present owing to a shortage of teachers qualified toundertake the entire course. This Department is now providingsummer courses by which secondary teachers who are deficient ina particular section of the Rural Science course can become fullyqualified. Three such courses have already been held.On account of the fact that Rural Science and the alternativecourses called Nature Study were not heretofore included asordinary subjects either in primary or secondary schools, the questionof inspection of classes presented some difficulty, particularlyin primary schools.To meet this situation a short course in Rural Science, whichwas conducted through the medium of Irish, was given to PrimarySchool Inspectors during the past year. Seventeen Inspectorsattended the course, which was held at the Science Laboratory,1.iIarlborough Street, Dublin.,The question 'of the proper position of Rural Science inrural and urban continuation education occupied the attention ofthe Commission on Technical Education, and it has been dealt within their Report.CHAPTERVIII.SECONDARYEDUCATION.(1) Geneml Administmtion.-The First Report of the Departmentgave a full account 'of the financial and admini trative positionof the Secondary Schools and of the reforms th3Jt haverevolutionised the position of both schools and teachers in thepa t few years. The period now under review was one of generalconsolidation and development of the reformed system.The Department is pleased to bear testimony to the zeal withwhich managers and teachers continue to co-operate in this work,and in the building up of an efficient system of Secondary education.It is satisfactory to note, too, that in spite of the continueddepression in recent years, especially in the farming industry, thenumber of pupils attending Secondary Schools shows an increaseon the number in the School Year 1924-25. The number ofSecondary Schools recognised by the Department has also increasedfrom 278 in 1924-25, to 283 in 1925-26, and 285 in 1926-27.(2) The Ottrriculu11t.-The curricula of Secondary Schools areshaped by two conditions-Cl) their own aims, (2) the requirementsof the Department of Education as regards courses of instructionfor grant-purposes and for examinations. The rules of