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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION, SPORT AND CULTURE BY DEPUTY S.Y. MÉZEC OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 24th MARCH 2015
Question
Does the Minister have any plans to review the provision for political education in secondary schools? What support, if any, has the Department offered the students who are attempting to set up a Jersey Youth Parliament'?
Answer
The whole curriculum, including political education is currently being redrafted and there are no plans outside of this process to review the subject. Education about politics is a component of the new Jersey Curriculum. It specifies that pupils in Key Stages 1 to 4 should be taught the subject as part of the Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE), which includes citizenship.
A specialist group consisting of teachers who lead the subject in their school has considered the content of the PSHE curriculum, including the politics element. Under the new curriculum, which takes effect in September 2015, Students will be expected to study the development of the political system of democratic government in Jersey and the United Kingdom, including the roles of citizens, the States Assembly and the Island's relationship with the Monarch. They will learn about the operation of the States Assembly, including voting and elections, and the role of politicians, including Senators, Deputies, Constables and non-elected States Members. Students will be taught about their rights and responsibilities as citizens who are both Islanders and members of a global community
All students in Year 5 in Jersey primary schools have a debate in the States as part of the curriculum and this has been a successful and well-received part of students' political education. The annual Youth Assembly for Years 12 and 13 provides an opportunity for political engagement for an older age group. Also, in 2014 a series of visits were arranged for teachers and secondary school students from secondary schools to raise awareness of the political process before the October election. Staff from the States Greffe also held sessions in some secondary schools and a significant number of students took part. ESC and the States Greffe plan to explore how these sessions can be provided in future.
The ESC Minister has been advising Youth Parliament team from an early stage and helped arrange meetings with other politicians, including with the Comité des Connétable s, and useful contacts. Deputy Bryans has spoken to the Scott ish Youth Parliament on their behalf and invited them to a specially arranged Council of Ministers meeting to discuss the Strategic Plan before it was published. The appointments include a slot speaking at the forthcoming Youth Service conference. The students themselves have taken on the organising role and ESC will continue to support them.