The Dept of Education & Skills has allocated €7m for schools to implement the Design & Communication Graphics (DCG) Leaving Cert curriculum. The grants wil be put in place to purchase customised PCs to deliver the course.
Introduced in 2007, DCG one of the main Leaving Certificate subjects where information technology is a central requirement in assessment methodology. Over 5,400 students sat the subject last year and it is studied in 450 schools.
Announcing the grants, Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan said: “My Department recognises the importance of DCG as it directly contributes to the key skills required in Ireland’s knowledge-based economy. It incorporates principles of science, materials, manufacture, design, technology and information technology.”
Following a public procurement competition, a contract for CAD Software for Schools was awarded to Solid Solutions Ireland, the national reseller of Solidworks, for the next six years. The Department of Education & Skills (DES) has purchased this software directly, and will be distributed in addition to the grants.
Fujitsu Ireland, with its partners Smart Schools and Total Import Solutions, will be supplying desktop computers. If preferred, notebook computers can be supplied by PC Peripherals.
A professional development programme for the new CAD software is currently being formulated by the Professional Development Service for Teachers for autumn 2015, and details will be sent to schools.
The first phase of support will involve online tutorials and supporting web resources. Phase two will include national workshops.
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