IPPN

Published: 18 June 2009

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen will consider a call from Archbishop Diarmuid Martin for a national forum to consider a breakdown of who should run primary schools in the future.

Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe agreed that the forum proposal was worth examining, but displayed little enthusiasm.

Mr Cowen said he welcomed Dr Martin's general approach and views on the issue and would study the speech he made this week in detail.

Dr Martin has suggested a forum of all interested parties to sketch a vision for primary school patronage in light of Ireland's increasingly multicultural society.

The archbishop restated that the Catholic Church is not interested in retaining control of the 93pc of primary schools where it currently acts as patron, a dominance he described as "untenable".

The debate on school patronage has intensified in the aftermath of the Ryan report which graphically detailed the abuse suffered by hundreds of children in religious-run institutions.

Raising the issue in the Dail yesterday, Labour leader Eamon Gilmore claimed Dr Martin was "far ahead" of the Government on the matter of creating new models of school management, which would provide for parental choice and reflect the diversity of life in today's Ireland.

"As chief patron of Catholic schools in the Dublin Archdiocese, the archbishop's openness to consider different governance structures has been refreshing," he said.

The Taoiseach rejected claims he was attempting to "kick the issue to touch".

"A speech was made yesterday and I have not had the opportunity yet to read it. I do not make up policy on the basis of not having read what a person has to say," Mr Cowen said.

A spokesperson for Mr O'Keeffe pointed out that the department had a history of consulting and would continue to do so, including on the issue of school patronage.

He said the department intended making further contact with Archbishop Martin.

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Published: 18 June 2009

ALMOST ONE-THIRD of children in disadvantaged areas have severe literacy problems, a problem that has persisted despite 25 years of targeted education programmes.

That is one of the findings of a draft report by the Government's advisory body, the National Economic and Social Forum, which examines more effective ways of tackling the problem. Nationally, it says one-tenth of all children have serious literacy problems.

The report warns that a continuing failure to tackle disability problems is storing up major social and economic problems. It says children who do not read, write or communicate effectively at primary level are much more likely to leave school early, be unemployed or in low-skilled jobs, and are more likely to end up in poverty and in our prisons.

Maureen Gaffney, chairwoman of the forum, said: "We're living in an era where literacy is super-important. It's like depriving children of oxygen. When they don't have literacy skills, there are serious consequences for their life chances."

The draft report by the forum's project team on child literacy and social inclusion says there is no single quick-fix solution.

Instead, it points to medium- to long-term strategies which are needed that take a coherent and comprehensive approach to delivering literacy teaching in all schools.

The main recommendation is a cross-departmental "national literacy policy framework", led by the Department of Education and Science. This would provide a shared vision for future action and a basis for greater policy coherence and integration.

At present, for example, there is no national literacy strategy. While there is an initiative in place for primary and secondary schools serving disadvantaged communities ; the Deis scheme ; it covers just over one-fifth of primary schools.

"Research suggests that the majority of children experiencing disadvantage may not be attending a Deis school and so may not be receiving any supports for literacy," the draft report says. A broad framework for all children would need to be complemented with particular supports for those experiencing disadvantage. This support could take the form of targeted interventions for disadvantaged pupils and sustained and continuous professional development for teachers in literacy.

Ms Gaffney said one of the most revealing findings was that there was little difference between the aspirations of working class and middle-class families for their young.

"The big difference is that middle-class parents are equipped with a road map: they know what it takes to get child successfully through school, through reading to them, encouraging them to do homework."

Ms Gaffney said international experience shows that if public policies start with high expectations, set high standards and make people accountable for reaching those, the results will come. She pointed to the need for a public information campaign ; similar to those for immunisation ; as one way to help encourage parents to take a more active role in their child's learning.

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Published: 18 June 2009

IN A thought-provoking speech this week, the Archbishop of Dublin, Dr Diarmuid Martin, reflected on the future shape of Catholic education. His comments were timely in the context of the Ryan report which raised awkward questions for the church, and for wider society, about Catholic management of schools.

As Dr Martin acknowledges, the current virtual Catholic monopoly of school management is a "historical hangover" which does not reflect current realities. At present, some 92 per cent of primary schools are controlled by the Catholic Church; most of the remainder by the Church of Ireland. Teachers are employed by a board of management chaired by a representative of the patron, usually the local parish priest, or the local rector in the case of the Church of Ireland, but salaries are paid by government ; ie the taxpayer. The patron has an input into the appointment of all teachers and, critically, he convenes the interview panel for vacancies at school principal level.

Even without the Ryan report, it is clear that the governance structures of our schools must be modernised and changed. The scathing Department of Education report on the Muslim school in north Dublin points to the need for more professional management of such schools, along with full transparency and accountability.

The national forum suggested by Dr Martin is doubly timely: Irish society is more multi-faith today than ever before ; diversification that has come at a time when church control of education is perhaps questioned as never before, questioning that is quickened in the Ryan report. The forum thus needs to examine what role, if any, church authorities should have in the running of primary schools, while at the same time defending religious freedoms and seeking to respect parental choice.

There was little sense of urgency yesterday when the Taoiseach responded to this initiative. Mr Cowen told the Dáil he would consider the forum proposals, but only after seeking the advice of ministerial colleagues. The most telling comment came from Labour leader Eamon Gilmore who said Dr Martin was far ahead of the Government on the issue of school patronage.

Dr Martin is not the only public figure to seek a forum on the issue. Trade union leader John Carr, general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, has been making the case for it since 2002 and it is also favoured by Brian Hayes, Fine Gael's spokesman on education. So why the continued delay? Last year, then minister for education Mary Hanafin convened a one-day meeting of all education stakeholders on the patronage issue; since then there has been no sense that a new policy is being formulated.

There are huge issues to address in any national forum. Should parents have a right to the provision of a denominational school? Is there a danger of a two-tier system if the Catholic Church divests itself of schools in some urban areas? How should faith formation be handled in a new system of patronage? A national forum, set up without delay, would help facilitate this important debate.

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Published: 17 June 2009

Primary school rises from ashes

By Sean O'Riordan

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

CHILDREN attending a primary school severely damaged by an arson attack were celebrating yesterday after it rose from the ashes.

And fire brigade crews joined with pupils and staff at the Convent Primary School in Mallow, Co Cork for the opening of a rebuilt section of the school which is understood to have cost about €200,000 to repair.

Acting station officer in Mallow, Mick Carroll cut the tape in recognition of the efforts by the fire services to save part of the building.

The oldest part of the school dates back to 1910.

A section of the 200-pupil school was deliberately set on fire. A passer-by raised the alarm after spotting the blaze in the early hours of May 21.

Fire brigade units from Mallow, Kanturk, Charleville and Cork city rushed to the scene.

They managed to contain the damage to the school hall, three classrooms and another room.

The area surrounding the school was evacuated, including the convent in which 20 sisters live. The convent was not damaged.

The school was closed for a number of days and when it was reopened 70 pupils had to be provided with alternative accommodation.

Gardaí have appealed for anybody with information to ring Mallow Garda Station at 022-21105.

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