Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Minister of State for EU Affairs and Data Protection Dara Murphy and the Minister for Education & Skills Jan O’Sullivan today (Wednesday 1st October) launched the Blue Star Programme 2014-2017 along with pupils from Gardiner Street NS, Dublin.
The objectives of the Programme, recently renewed for a second 3 year period, are to foster better understanding and knowledge of how the European Union affects our lives amongst Irish primary pupils through classroom projects and activities. The Blue Star Programme introduces participants – pupils, teachers, parents and the wider community - to the EU, what it means and how it works. It has already been rolled out in over 200 schools and the intention is to increase this over the coming three years.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny said at the launch:
As a small, open country, Ireland's relationship with the European Union positively affects all of our lives and it is important to increase understanding among our young citizens about how the European Union works. Education is key to ensuring that our youth are prepared for the future. The Blue Star programme which has already involved over 200 schools and 15,000 school
Minister Dara Murphy noted:
It’s wonderful to see Irish children getting to know Europe - the history, the culture and the community of nations that Ireland is a part of. To appreciate the differences and similarities between our country and our European neighbours, and to gain some understanding into the mechanisms and institutions that make up our modern day European Union, will give Irish children an educational edge. The Blue Star programme is an excellent resource for our teachers and our children and I hope to see schools the length and breadth of the country get involved this year.
Minister Jan O’Sullivan said :
By complementing the geography, history, SPHE and visual arts strands of the primary school curriculum the Blue Star programme promotes a deeper understanding among our primary pupils of the history, geography and culture of Europe, and their place within it. By enriching students’ knowledge of the variety of cultures and languages that exist across Europe, the Blue Star programme also promotes greater appreciation among primary pupils of the benefits of diversity and multiculturalism within Irish society.
Notes for editors
The Blue Star programme, managed by European Movement Ireland, is funded through the Government’s Communicating Europe Initiative. It started in 2011. Partners in the programme along with the Department of the Taoiseach are the European Commission Representation, European Parliament Information Office and the Department of Education and Skills.
The aim of the programme is to foster better understanding and knowledge among primary school children of the EU and how the EU affects our lives through classroom projects and activities. This is done by examining four key areas relating to the EU –
- historical
- geographical
- cultural & creative
- institutional. The institutional segment focused on the EU Presidency in 2013; on the European Parliament elections and the new Commission in 2014; 2015 will focus on the European Year of Development.
In 2011-12 (Year 1), 32 schools in 12 counties successfully completed the programme, well in excess of the initial estimate of 20-25 schools. Year 3 of the Programme saw over 106 schools from 24 counties participating, with over 15,000 students having participated over the course of the 3 year programme.
We expect that the Year 4 programme will lead to an increase in the number and wider geographical spread of participating schools – current indications are over 100 schools in all 26 counties.
Gardiner Street School is a large national school on 76 Upper Gardiner St, Dublin 1.. There are 304 pupils in the school and all classes (15) and teachers (24) are participating in the programme. Of the 304 children, there are 116 boys, 188 girls and they make up 29 nationalities. The principal, Eileen O’Doherty and Marie McEvoy are the co-ordinating teachers for the Blue Star Programme. The school has participated in the Blue Star Programme every year since the programme commenced in 2011.
More information is available at www.europeanmovement.ie or bluestar@europeanmovement.ie.