Articles

Source: The Corkman

By Bill Browne

Thursday March 12 2009

THERE can be few more important issues that a society is charged with than educating its young people.

It may be a bit of an overused cliché, but children are our future and we are therefore obliged to do all we can to ensure that their education is paramount.

However, judging by the condition of national schools across Ireland it is a message that has, for the most part, gone completely unheeded by those in high office.

There was once a time when the Irish education system was the envy of the world, the success of the thousands of people who have emigrated and forged successful careers abroad is testament to that.

Now, however, the government of the day are presiding over an education system that is slowing falling apart at the seams, particularly at primary school level.

This is no fault of the principals and staff in schools across Cork who do a magnificent job with the often limited resources available to them.

However, this cannot hope to continue if our children continue to be taught in converted toilets, draughty and over crowded classrooms and prefabricated buildings.

Add to that the fact that the government has introduce what can only be described as Draconian cutbacks to the education system as part of their knee-jerk reaction to the deepening financial crisis.

Cutbacks need to be made, we might not like the idea, but most people will agree with it.

However, cutbacks to the primary education system attack the very basis of any society and its ability to produce an educated and vibrant workforce.

This is not just me saying that, for years we were told that one of the key factors behind the success of the so called Celtic Tiger was our wealth of well-educated labour force.

If this was indeed the case, then surely it would make basic common sense to invest more money into the education system, not continue to strip it bare.

This is essential if we are to bring back the sense of confidence that we are all being told will be a vital part of putting the Irish economy back on track.

The upcoming ' minibudget' would be the ideal place to start. Instead of imposing more cuts on our beleaguered education system, the government need to have the ware withal to look start building for the future.

The message is a clear and unequivocal one: "Hey Taoiseach, leave our kids alone."

- Bill Browne