Educate Together is calling for the Government to live up to its stated targets for Ireland’s education system and to properly resource that system via a range of targeted and improved supports to schools, management bodies and to the state’s education budget.
Ireland’s equality-based school patron proposes that the following changes need to be implemented to properly address the challenges faced in the Irish education system:
- Invest in education: increase the overall education budget to bring investment in line with the OECD average of 4.5% of GDP;
- Eliminate school inequalities: increase the primary school capitation grant by 50%;
- Support voluntary initiative: increase management body grants by 50%;
- Fund school patronage transfers: invest in the Government’s reconfiguration programme;
- Invest in inclusion: provide sufficient multi-annual funding to re-balance school provision;
- Pilot Nurture Schools in Ireland: invest in resourcing appropriate staffing and skills to implement the Nurture approach in Irish schools.
Commenting on the need for investment in Irish education, Educate Together CEO Emer Nowlan said:
“We believe the time is now for the Government to invest substantially in Ireland’s education system. Ireland’s school system has remained chronically underfunded for far too long. Educate Together’s proposals today represent the minimum required to properly address the challenges faced in the Irish education system, so that we can support every child and young person to reach their full potential and build a strong, cohesive and prosperous society.”
Education in Ireland must be properly resourced so that every child and young person can access an inclusive and quality education in their local area, no matter their background or educational needs.
