IPPN

Published: 28 January 2011

Press Release

Increase Investment in Education, Urges Finnish Academic

Dr Pasi Sahlberg, Education Consultant to the Finnish Government will urge the incoming government to radically increase investment in education despite the recession, when he addresses over 1,000 Primary School Principals at the Annual Conference of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN), in the Citywest Hotel today, Friday 28th January.

Finland invests over 7% of GDP every year in education.  Ireland invests 4.6%. The result - Ireland has dropped from 5th to 17th place in the literacy stakes and languishes at 27th place in the numeracy stakes, when compared with other OECD countries.  Dr Sahlberg acknowledges the high quality of teacher graduates, but warns that ‘over reliance on a committed and highly skilled teaching profession only serves to camouflage the lack of government investment, and will lead to a severe drop in levels of teacher and principal morale as disenchantment sets in. Corrective measures in the form of enhanced investment must be implemented now if this is not to happen’ continued Pasi.

‘The Irish are a very resilient people and the new Irish government must be brave and put its trust in the next generation to create a new ‘Celtic Tiger’ continues Dr Sahlberg. This can only be done if the next generation of entrepreneurs are given the raw material of knowledge, through education, to develop their skills base’ said Dr Sahlberg.  ’In particular, the primary sector must be especially well resourced to ensure the foundation blocks are in place for the knowledge economy that will inevitably follow’ continued Pasi.

Following the breakup of the Soviet Union in the early nineties, Finland experienced a severe recession similar to what we are currently experiencing in Ireland. The Finnish Government of the day bravely decided that increased investment in education was the roadmap to recovery. Result? Finland emerged quickly from recession, has a highly skilled workforce, and today boasts one of the finest education systems in the world. Is there a value in Ireland following a similar path? Dr Sahlberg firmly believes there is.

Dr Sahlberg will spend three days at the IPPN Conference, where he will engage with over 1,000 primary school principals in what is one of the biggest conferences for school leaders in Europe.