ABOUT 35 per cent of pupils taking technological subjects at Junior Certificate level are girls, compared with 3-5 per cent in the late 1980s before the introduction of a special syllabus.
The vice-chairwoman of the NCCA, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Sister Pat Murray, said yesterday that before the introduction of a Junior Cert syllabus in technology in 1989, under 5 per cent of pupils taking traditional technological subjects were girls.
That was one reason why the technology syllabus was "intended to be particularly attractive to girls". It included three elements: technology and society, electronics and, most importantly, design, with a choice of six materials: metal, wood, ceramics, fabrics, plastics and composite materials like concrete, plaster and paper.
Sister Murray said traditional technological subjects, apart from home economics, had not been offered at academically oriented girls secondary schools and, as a result there had been "an absolute dearth of facilities for technological subjects" at such schools.
"If girls in all-girl schools start having access to technology, it will begin to change this old culture so that girls in all school types - single sex and co-educational - will begin to choose a technological subject."
The first drafts of new Leaving Certificate syllabuses in technology, construction studies, engineering and technical drawing were completed last month, and following consultation the final drafts are due for completion by the end of the year.
"It is a matter of justice that the development of technology in the junior cycle should now be extended to the senior cycle," said Sister Murray.
The revision of the primary curriculum is also "well advanced", the NCCA's chief executive, Mr Albert O Ceallaigh, said yesterday.
Curriculum statements and teacher guidelines for English, mathematics, physical education and social, environmental and scientific education (history, geography and science) would all be completed by this month. The curriculum and guidelines for Irish, arts education and social, personal and health education (including relationships and sexuality education) -would be completed by May.
The NCCA is also working on the problem of a lack of assessment of practical skills in physics and chemistry in the Leaving Cert exam. A pilot programme to test an NCCA committee's recommendation that 15 per cent of marks should be given to such practical skills is being carried out in a cross-section of second-level schools.