Cutbacks hit pre-school children as research centre shut
- Published: 23 September 2008
By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent
THE latest education cutback is to close a centre developing vital Government policy and structures for pre-school education.
The Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE) was set up six years ago to co-ordinate provision and policies covering nurseries, creches, playgroups, childminders, pre-schools and infant classes of primary schools.
It has eight staff and an annual budget of about €800,000, but it is understood the work will now be transferred to the Office of Children's Minister Barry Andrews.
The centre, based at St Patrick's College in Dublin, produced a quality framework for early childhood in 2006, launched by Mr Andrews' predecessor Brian Linehan, who, as Finance Minister, has ordered the reviews of costs in each department which likely led to this decision.
The centre's work will come to an end in the coming weeks and funding will be stopped in late November, the CECDE board was informed by letter on Friday evening.
"We regret the Government's decision as we're very proud of our work here, and we're trying to deal with this situation as best we can," said CECDE director Heino Schonfeld.
The centre has produced numerous reports and research publications on existing services and future policy and models of pre-school education. It was also charged with developing initiatives for children who are educationally disadvantaged or have special needs.
A spokesperson for Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe said that, with the centre coming to the end of its second three-year contract, it is timely to reconsider the structures set up to support early childhood care and education.
"While the centre's sanction will not be extended for a further period, it is envisaged that the work of ensuring quality education provision in pre-school services will be led by the early years education policy unit of the Department of Education in the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs," he said.
Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) general secretary John Carr said the decision showed complete lack of Government commitment to early childhood education.
"Quality early childhood education provides the basis for lifelong learning and is a critical factor in tackling educational disadvantage and upholding children's rights. All the centre's good work in laying the foundation to improve Ireland's abysmal record in pre-school provision has disappeared at the stroke of a pen," he said.
Ireland spent less of its education budget on pre-school than any other developed country in 2005, just 0.1% compared with an 8% average across 24 other OECD countries examined in a report published earlier this month. The Government's Early Start pre- school programme still runs on a pilot basis and has been extended to 40 areas.
