AQO 2024/17-22

Mr John Blair
Alliance Party
South Antrim

Tabled Date: 29/04/2021
Answered On Date: 12/05/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Education what plans he has to review The Education (Curriculum Minimum Content) Order (Northern Ireland) 2007 to develop further the provision of Relationship and Sexuality Education in schools.

Answer:

There are diverse views about the delivery, content and level of prescription of the RSE curriculum. Providing detailed lists of compulsory subject content within a curriculum does not guarantee that a subject will be well or appropriately taught or that it will reflect the needs of pupils. Further, in a subject area such as RSE, detailed prescribed content may rapidly become out of date as new issues emerge.

Any changes to the legislation would require significant and extensive consultation with key stakeholders to allow for a sound evidence base on which to make decisions on content. It would also need to safeguard the current flexibility of the curriculum and ensure that it is not unintentionally narrowed or reduced.

However, you will be aware that funding has been provided to support the production of extensive RSE resources and guidance materials through the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment’s online RSE Hub. Work on the Hub is ongoing.