STUDENTS at Crescent College Comprehensive in Dooradoyle will be among the first in the country to benefit from a new programme to help with the teaching of biology, chemistry and natural sciences.
This follows the inclusion of teachers from the school in Amgen Teach, a training programme to boost the skills and confidence of teachers and transform the science classroom experience for their students.
Amgen Teach is one of two new science education programmes pioneered by biotechnology company Amgen and its philanthropic arm, the Amgen Foundation.
Over the course of the coming academic year the two programmes are set to impact on around 15,000 students across Ireland.
The second new programme is the Amgen Biotech Experience which enables teachers to bring biotechnology into their classrooms.
Amgen Teach and the Amgen Biotech Experience support the Irish science school curriculum with training offered free of charge. The programmes emphasise hands-on, enquiry-based learning, providing teachers with practical tools they can replicate in the classroom and lab to motivate students.
Additionally, the Amgen Biotech Experience provides molecular biology resources and research-grade lab equipment, available on loan to participating schools.
Amgen Teach is delivered by the Professional Development Service for Teachers, while the Amgen Biotech Experience is coordinated by University College Dublin and Dublin City University.
Minister for Skills, Research and Innovation, Damien English said that developing collaborative partnerships with companies such as Amgen to support science education will ensure that the next generation of Irish scientists and researchers will be nurtured and encouraged.
“It will also enhance collaboration with industry and provide a strong voice for the promotion and support of science, biotechnology and research in Ireland”, he added.
