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Ireland's political and cultural magazine
26 February 2016
Education
Report Card
by Joe O’Hr
Professor of Education and
Head of Education Studies in DCU
T
he Programme for Government 2011-
2016 set out a range of quite
challenging targets in Education. In
essence it sought to re-shape provi-
sion in a number of key areas while at
the same time ensuring continuity with the core
strengths of the system. This was always going
to be a difficult balance and, as was to be
expected, the record is a mixed one.
At the most basic level – that of investment
in education – the record is quite good. Prom-
ises made to maintain funding for the core
system, to prioritise building and to keep key
metrics such as staffing, pupil teacher ratios
and other key areas such as ICT infrastructure
were for the most part kept.
Another exception to this has been the
Higher Education sector which has seen budg-
ets reduced across all areas and a failure to
meaningfully address the thorny issue of stu-
dent contributions. This latter point has been
particularly contentious.
While the Programme for Government and its
annual reviews are silent on fees the failure to
address the issue of who pays for Higher Edu-
cation has been marked. Current students face
a controversial ‘Registration’ fee which stands
at €3,000 (around half the cost to the state of
providing a college place), after being increased
by €250 in successive Budgets despite pre-
election commitments to freeze it at 2011
levels.
The recent ‘Cassells Report’ proposes loan
repayments for college tuition, which would be
paid back over 15 years at €25/week, once a
student is earning a certain level of income.
Irrespective of the final balance between
student contributions and State funding arrived
at there is an urgent need to find a resourcing
model that works for a sector that is under
increasing pressure.
At a broader systems level, the Programme
recognised the need for significant change. The
‘PISA shock’ resulting from our precipitous
decline in the 2009 tracking surveys in key
areas such as literacy and numeracy was an
ideal opportunity to radically to reform how we
teach these core competencies. As a result the
significantly improved performance in the PISA
2012 would seem to suggest that the national
strategy for literacy and numeracy has had a
significant impact.
School accountability structures were also
quietly revolutionised, and a robust data-gath-
ering process at school and national levels
developed, something that will have a long-
term impact far beyond the life of this
government. Teacher education also under
-
went a radical reform in this period. Course
content was changed, programme lengths were
increased and the number of providers reduced
through processes such as the DCU ‘Incorpora-
tion’ programme.
There were a number of areas of policy over-
reach that have resulted in significant setbacks.
Two of these – reform of the junior cycle and
reform of school patronage structures – have
followed a remarkably similar trajectory. Both
witnessed confident assertions by Ministers
about the need for policy reform followed by
processes that saw the ‘great and the good’
support change.
Significant resistance was met in both cases
and despite pressure applied a combination
of strong local knowledge and skillful national
campaigns have resulted in the original
proposals being significantly watered down.
At the time of writing, junior cycle reform is
stuck in a limbo, supported by one Teacher
Union and rejected by a second. Reform of
school patronage has been glacially slow but
there are signs of alternative approaches
emerging that will perhaps address issues of
ethos and culture from an equality and proce-
dural perspective.
Issues also remain concerning the casuali-
sation of education careers across all levels of
the system and the significant hollowing out
of middle-management structures in schools.
This latter point has resulted in increased
pressure on school principals and a percep-
tion of initiative overload. At the other end of
the scale differential pay scales for new teach-
ers is a cause of real resentment and pressure
on Unions to demonstrate relevance has
increased.
In a general sense the Programme for Edu-
cation Government was quite successful in
Education, meeting most of its targets and
putting in place structures that have the
potential to have a significant medium-term
impact. This is no mean feat given the popular
attitude to education in Ireland - while many
might complain in the abstract, most are
happy enough with their particular encounters
with the system. This combination makes it
difficult for any set of policy proposals to
address both the abstract desire for change
and the innate conservatism of end-users.
This policy programme probably did as well as
could be expected given the straitened eco-
nomic circumstances.
2016 ELECTION
"B-"
"Signicant achievements
eclipsed somewhat by
failures in high-prole areas"
February 2016 27
Education Report Card
Early Childhood Care and Education
"Maintenance of free pre-school year provision, implementing a standards
framework, enhancing training options and targeting disadvantaged areas".
Free pre-school year provision was maintained with a commitment to exam-
ining its extension. New qualifications standards were implemented at
FETAC level 5/6 and an inspection framework piloted. Community Childcare
Subvention programme targeted at disadvantaged family groups extended.
School Standards and Reforms
"Position Ireland in top ten performing countries in the OECD Programme for
International Student Assessment (PISA)".
2012 PISA results saw Ireland bounce back from disastrous 2009 scores. Out
of 34 OECD countries Ireland is now 9th for science; 4th for reading and 13th
for mathematics.
"Provide school management with greater autonomy to address issues of qual-
ity at a local level allowing them allocate and manage staff and resources".
Consultation process around issues of autonomy initiated but little real pro-
gress made in practice.
"Maintain high calibre of teachers in the system and prioritise enhancement of
school leadership capacity".
The Irish Centre for School Leadership established; however retirements and
hollowing out of middle management combined with casualisation of the
profession and differential pay scales are leading to significant discontent
across the profession.
"Develop and implement new modes of school inspection prioritising the gener-
ation of a range of useful data at school as well as system level".
Significant overhaul of school inspection; all schools now engage in manda-
tory self-evaluation, role for parents and others guaranteed and national
system of standardised testing agreed.
"Review of Junior and Leaving Certificate systems and implementation of
reforms using work of National Council of Curriculum and Assessment".
Attempts to reform Junior Certificate system have met with significant and
ongoing opposition from Teacher Unions and others. Individual subject cur-
riculum reviews ongoing at Leaving Certificate level but no systemic change.
"Commitment to develop a national literacy strategy targeting all aspects of
education continuum and prioritising training, timetable and curricular
changes".
National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (2011-2020) implemented, literacy
and numeracy mandatory areas of competence in teacher education, new
primary literacy curriculum starting in 2016 and increased teaching time
given to literacy and numeracy at primary level.
"Prioritisation of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
performance at second level".
Introduction of ‘bonus point’ for Mathematics, implementation of project
maths curriculum, ongoing revision of science and maths curricula.
School Infrastructure
"Prioritise school building and providing of resources for school
maintenance / development".
Overall increase in school builds / refurbishments with 1.35 billion euro
invested since 2012 in 189 new builds and other works.
"Invest in key ICT infrastructure ensuring that all schools have access to fibre
broadband, embedding it across full curriculum and develop plan to integrate
ICT in teaching, learning and assessment".
99% of schools are connected to the Schools Broadband Network, enhanced
‘Scoilnet’ facilitating curriculum integration and launch of comprehensive
ICT plan for 2015-2020. Issues around maintenance of ICT and embedding
remain.
"Enhance effectiveness of ICT investment by merging the National
Centre for Technology in Education with the National Council for Curriculum and
Assessment".
This was not achieved.
Fees
The Programme for Government and its annual reviews are silent on fees.
There is a Registration fee which currently stands at €3,000 (less than half
the cost to the state of providing a college place), after being increased by
€250 in successive Budgets until it reached that point. A Government draft
report proposes loan repayments for college tuition, which would be paid
back over 15 years at €25/week, once a student is earning a certain level of
income.
PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT ACTUAL PERFORMANCE -
28 February 2016
2016 ELECTION
Education Report Card
Inclusive Schools
"Establishment of Forum on Patronage and Pluralism with a view to increasing
diversity in school ethos at primary and post primary levels, explicitly involving
parents in any process developed".
Forum on Patronage established and reported and a number of pilot parental
surveys on school choice completed. New models of school patronage piloted
at both primary and secondary levels however little or no progress in divest-
ment made in system as a whole.
"Address issue of employment rights of LGBT teachers in state funded denomi-
national schools".
Equality Act amended to remove prioritisation of protection of school ethos
over employment rights of LGBT and other groups.
"Development of a strategy on school admissions to address issues of diversity,
social cohesion and fairness".
Education (School Admissions Bill, 2015) proposed but withdrawn.
"Development of a national Anti-Bullying Strategy and development of policies
and supports for schools".
Action plan on bullying strategy launched in 2013 and anti-bullying policies
mandatory in all schools.
"Review of Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) with a view to
maximising supports to areas of greatest need".
Funding reductions in key areas not reversed however review of DEIS designa-
tion initiated in 2015 with a view to rebalancing allocations.
"Support diversity of educational opportunity for children with special needs
and restore NEPS".
The 15% reduction in resource teaching hours and cap on special needs assis-
tants in 2012 made this difficult although overall numbers of SNA’s have been
increased recently.
Planned implementation of the EPSEN Act 2004 to prioritise access for chil-
dren with special needs to an individual education plan (IEP).
IEP’s are not yet mandatory however are considered best practice and might
be facilitated through consolidation of services under Inclusion Support
Service.
"Reverse the cut to the number of psychologists in National
Educational Psychological Service in Budget 2011".
By September 2015 recruitment to NEPS was expected to reach agreed target
number however there are ongoing concerns about the reach and timliness of
the service provided.
Higher Education
"Review recommendations of ‘Hunt Report’ and seek to maximise existing fund-
ing, reform academic contracts and prioritise key strategic areas".
Development of new funding model for Higher Education with performance
compacts, key performance indicators and targeted priority areas including
teaching, research and access however sector significantly underfunded and
no concrete action on issue of future funding and fees.
"Examine feasibility of establishment of Technical Universities and consolida-
tion of Dublin Institute of Technology on Grangegorman site".
Technological Universities Bill (2016) debated in Dáil in January 2016 and first
phase of student relocation to Grangegorman Campus is completed.
"Introduce sectoral oversight and facilitate consolidation of a range of accredi-
tation authorities".
Remit of Ombudsman extended to cover Higher Education. Quality and Qualifi-
cations Ireland formed replacing HETAC, FETAC and NQA.
"Maintain and enhance standards in Teacher Education through changes in
curricula and programme structures".
‘Re-conceptualisation’ of initial teacher education provision extending overall
length of consecutive programmes, providing for more in-school teaching time
and introducing a new national induction programme.
"Reform higher education institutions, encouraging greater specialisation and
reducing duplication of provision in teacher education".
Overhaul of teacher education providers resulting in merger of Froebel College
with Maynooth University and ‘Incorporation’ of Mater Dei Institute, Church of
Ireland College and St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra into DCU. Development
of a range of new organisational structures linking other ITE providers.
Lifelong Learning
"Enhance opportunities for those accessing non-compulsory education includ-
ing job seekers, Further and Community education students and those
interested in lifelong learning".
Establishment of Solas and Education and Training boards led to a significant
restructuring of provision in Further and Vocational Education. Substantial
investment in labour market activation schemes and commitment to prioritis-
ing apprenticeships.
International Education
"Creation of a Brand Ireland in education seeking to double student numbers
from key non-EU markets and seeking to streamline visa and residency require-
ments to facilitate this".
Establishment of ‘Education in Ireland’ brand and 85% increase in non –EU
students. Immigration and visa issues still challenging and major controversy
emerged around language school sector.
PROGRAMME FOR GOVERNMENT COMMITMENT ACTUAL PERFORMANCE -
