The process of curriculum change in the Irish national school system, 1868 to 1966

This paper will present an overview of curriculum change in the Irish national school system in the period from 1868 to 1986. It will highlight the process whereby the national school curriculum was reviewed and implemented at the following key points: 1868 -1872: The report of the Powis Commission followed by the introduction of the Results Programme; 1898 - 1900: The report of the Belmore Commission followed by the introduction of the Revised Programme of 1900; 1922 - 1934: The reports of the 1922 and 1926 National Programme Conferences and the Revised Programme of Primary Instruction, 1934; 1947 - 1971: The INTO Plan for Education (1947) and the report of the Council of Education on the function and curriculum of the primary school (1954) followed eventually by the introduction of the Primary School Curriculum (1971); 1984 - 1986: The work of the Curriculum and Examinations Board in relation to the primary curriculum will be briefly summarised.