007. Scrap the patronage system

Choice. This is the word most used to combat my argument that we should scrap the patronage model. When it comes to education, it seems that almost everyone thinks they should have a choice of the flavour of school their child should go to. I honestly can’t understand why this would be. I don’t get … Read more

006. A Fully-Resourced NEPS to take over Assessment of Need

The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) is probably one of the most paradoxical. It is completely undervalued and under-resourced by the Department of Education but it provides one of the most important services for schools lucky enough to be able to get a hold of them. The interesting thing is that NEPS, if it was … Read more

005. Scrap the NCSE

When one looks at the number of agencies involved in education, one has to ask why there are so many and what do they actually do. The NCSE is the National Council for Special Education. Back when they started in 2003, there was very little work done in the area of special needs in education. … Read more

010. Guarantee Minor Works Funding

For some reason since the recession, the government have held back a guarantee of funding the Minor Works Grant, which basically allows schools to pay for repairs to their buildings. Recently, it seemed to expand to being given to fund technology purchases and repairs without any increase. In any case, this grant should simply be … Read more

003. Fund ICT properly, not as part of minor works

We’re well used to cuts in primary school. Over the last decade or so, funding to primary schools has been chopped at every angle, sometimes very obviously and sometimes in a kind of invisible way. The Minor Works Grant is paid to schools for minor repair work that needs to be done. This has been … Read more

002. Give equal funding to primary and second level

One might expect that funding for primary and secondary level would be the same in terms of capitation and ancillary grants, but it’s not the case. Primary schools receive €170 per pupil per annum. Secondary schools receive €296. There is no reason why second level schools should cost much more to run than primary schools. … Read more

001. Separate Church and State

Despite our country’s education system beginning with a non-denominational model, Ireland’s primary education system is almost completely controlled by church bodies, with 96% of schools having a religious body as their patronage. 90% of schools have the Catholic Church as their patron body. All of the rest but 3 have a Christian patron body. In … Read more

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