National school managers highlight funding crisis
- Published: 01 October 2008
Seán Flynn, Education Editor
PRIMARY SCHOOL managers have launched a joint campaign to highlight the funding crisis in schools amid growing concerns on the prospect of severe budget cuts.
The seven management bodies say primary schools are under-funded, under-resourced and under-staffed. Primary schools, they say, are forced to depend on an ever-increasing burden of fundraising to meet basic costs.
With 100,000 pupils expected to enrol in primary schools in the next decade, they say the situation will deteriorate further without significant investment.
The school managers say most schools do not have the resources to deliver modern computer or sports programmes. There is also continued concern over special needs provision, while schools continue to operate some of the largest classes in the OECD.
Funding shortfalls, they say, are affecting schools in the following main areas: light, heat and water; telephone and data communications; cleaning, secretarial and care-taking; rents, insurance and accountancy; curriculum materials including computer, sports and music equipment; books and staff development, and substitution.
In a joint statement they "call upon the Government to give urgent priority to, and deliver substantially increased funding for primary education in the budget. Immediate action is critical not only for the maintenance of existing levels of service to children and to address long-standing funding shortfalls, but also because of the current rapid increase in student numbers.
"The overwhelming consensus of economic and political commentators assert that the future of our society will be that of a 'knowledge' or 'thinking' economy. It is impossible to conceive of such a future without properly resourced schools.''
The managers say it is simply reckless to fail to invest in our education system at this time. "Our primary schools form the foundation upon which the performance of our entire system is based and unless we dramatically increase investment in primary education, Ireland will suffer both economically and socially.''
They warn that the consequences of failing to invest in the education of the current generation will be felt not only today but for many decades to come, and that decisions made in Government Buildings over the next two weeks will reverberate longer in education than in any other area of spending.
"Irish primary schools have been chronically underfunded by all governments since the foundation of the State. Governments have neglected the primary system at the best of times and worst of times. It is now imperative that this neglect is corrected. To fail to do so is straightforward political irresponsibility."
The joint statement was issued yesterday by the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, the Church of Ireland Board of Education, Educate Together, Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán-Ghaeilge, Gaelscoileanna, the Islamic Board of Education and the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education.
Primary schools plea for urgent spending increase
- Published: 01 October 2008
By Seán McCárthaigh
PRIMARY school managers have issued an urgent appeal to the Government to raise spending on their schools amid fears that further financial cutbacks could cause huge damage to the education of future generations.
The management bodies of all Irish primary schools came together yesterday to make a joint appeal for a substantial increase in funding for the sector in the October 14 budget.
The group — which comprises representatives of all school bodies representing religious, multi-denomination and special needs schools as well as gaelscoileanna — warned that primary schools are already suffering from a lack of proper facilities and equipment, especially in the area of IT and sports, as well as services for school children with special needs, due to financial constraints.
There is also widespread overcrowding in classrooms, while rising gas and electricity bills and the introduction of water meters are placing further pressures on school budgets.
It is estimated that the average funding requirement of each primary school in the country is between €25,000 and €30,000.
The primary school bosses complained that capitation grants for primary schools remain about half of that paid to second-level schools, despite Government promises to provide a 100% increase in existing fees. The current capitation grant for primary schools is €178 per pupil compared to €331 for post-primary students.
"Our primary schools are under-funded, under-resourced and under-staffed. Primary schools this year are being forced to depend on an ever-increasing burden of fundraising in order to meet basic costs," said the incoming general secretary of the Catholic Primary Schools Management Association, Eileen Flynn.
Her predecessor, Monsignor Dan O'Connor, said there was a danger of a three-tier education system being created. "There are wealthy schools where shortfalls can be made up by fundraising; a second group where funds are limited and the schools depend on the parish and a third type where no fundraising at all is possible," he observed.
Paul Rowe, chief executive of the multi-denominational schools organisation, Educate Together, said primary schools needed additional funding of €82m annually to reach parity with the capitation grant level awarded to secondary schools. He claimed such a figure was "not a significant sum" in the context of overall government spending.
"Our primary schools form the foundation upon which the performance of the entire system is based and unless we dramatically increase investment in primary education, Ireland will suffer economically, socially and culturally," he said.
ends
Management bodies unite to publicly demand spending rise
- Published: 30 September 2008
By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent
THE need for improved funding and services for schools is to be aired publicly in the coming days as the Government faces growing pressure ahead of the budget.
With the 2009 budget a fortnight away, decisions on education spending for next year will be made in the coming days.
Organisations representing the management of all 3,280 primary schools will stand united in their call for increased investment at a press conference this morning. The heads of all seven management bodies will make their case in a rare public gathering highlighting their deep concerns.
With Government finances in serious disarray, schools are worried about the impact of anything but a substantial increase in their day-to-day funding on daily life for pupils and teachers.
Primary schools receive a grant of €178 for every pupil, or more than €53,000 for a 300-pupil school, but managers will argue this is completely insufficient to meet rising insurance, heating and energy costs in the school year ahead, as well as providing materials for teaching.
The event will bring together representatives of the schools run for the Catholic and Church of Ireland bishops, Islamic schools, special education schools, two all-Irish school management bodies and Educate Together which has more than 50 multi-denominational primary schools.
Further focus on primary school funding will be raised at a public meeting organised by the Irish National Teachers' Organisation at the RDS in Dublin on Thursday night.
The union has invited parents and the media to hear discussion about issues such as overcrowded classes, lack of investment in schools computers, rocketing costs forcing schools to ask parents for contributions, and delays in the school building programme.
The pre-budget submission of the Joint Managerial Body warned last week that secondary schools will have to fundraise for almost a third of their running costs next year unless there is significant improvement in Government funding.
Government accused of breaking promises on school building projects
- Published: 30 September 2008
By Niall Murray, Education Correspondent
CLAIMS of broken election promises and a lack of transparency have been levelled at the Government after Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe's first school building announcement yesterday.
Many of the 25 schools on the list of projects taking the next step in the building programme, including seven cleared to begin construction, appear to have jumped ahead of others that were promised two years ago that their building works would be under way by last February.
Of 54 primary schools given such a commitment by Mr O'Keeffe's predecessor Mary Hanafin in November 2006, only 20 have been cleared for work to begin.
Fine Gael's education spokesman, Brian Hayes, described the building programme as a political lucky-bag and called for a return to the system operated by Noel Dempsey when he had charge of funds up to 2004, with the priority of all schools clearly available on the Department of Education website.
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation has said there has to be more openness from the department to explain why some schools are leapfrogging others to the top of list.
However, Mr O'Keeffe's spokesperson said the schools selected yesterday had the greatest urgency and progress was being made on the remaining 34 schools from the November 2006 announcement.
Among those still waiting for approval is Kilfinane National School, whose pupils face another year queuing for an outside toilet, despite having contractors lined up since earlier this year to begin work on a new six-classroom school.
Principal Siobhan O'Flynn said staff and pupils were very disappointed at being left out of the minister's announcement, but remain hopeful of being included in the next group of schools given clearance early next year.
However, uncertainty remains about the level of funding that will be available for school buildings next year ahead of the budget next month, although Mr O'Keeffe will be lobbying for an increase on this year's €586 million fund.
Anger at school's 10-year wait for repairs
- Published: 30 September 2008
By John Walshe Education Editor
A PRIMARY school principal is afraid to identify a "senior government official" who promised a long overdue building -- in case her school is "penalised" by more delays.
"I had intended to name the person but was advised this morning that it would not be wise to do so," Noeleen Conboy, from St Brigid's Girls' National School, Palmerstown, Dublin, told the Irish Independent yesterday.
She said there was despair and anger in the staffroom yesterday when she read out the new list of approved school projects announced by Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe.
St Brigid's, which has 400 pupils, has been campaigning for 10 years for the refurbishment of the school building to a safe and modern standard.
In March 2006, all funding was in place and a schedule of work ready. Pre-fabs were provided to house eight classes during the building work at a cost of €12,300 per month to the Department of Education and Science.
The remaining pupils are housed in the old building which needs urgent repairs. To date, €750,000 has been spent on this project and still no stone has been turned.
The school's repair list includes: a leaking roof; removal of mould and asbestos; installation of a safe and effective heating system; upgrading of the electrical system; and installation of running water in all classrooms.
Last night, a parents' meeting discussed setting up an action group to put pressure on politicians to speed up the building work. They also considered putting their own candidate forward in the local elections.
Parents' spokeswoman Fiona Ebbs said: "It is so frustrating. We have been so close to starting all of the building work and it feels like this has been snatched away from us at the 11th hour."
Noreen Flynn, an executive member of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, told the meeting it was wrong that children should have to go to school in dilapidated and run-down buildings. "It is wrong that children are subjected to damp and dreary educational surroundings. In the 21st century, it is wrong that many of our schools would be a fitting setting for a Dickens novel.
" And it is wrong that elected politicians are doing nothing about it."
But a spokesman for Mr O'Keeffe said in a statement that "this project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning".
"The progression of all large-scale building projects, including this project, is being considered in the context of the department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme," he added.
Reckless
Meanwhile, the principal of Ennis National School, Gary Stack, yesterday warned that teaching staff at his school may take legal action over the condition of the classrooms, which many claim are causing the "reckless endangerment" of staff.
Mr Stack strongly hinted that legal action may be imminent after the school was one of those omitted from the Department of Education's list. He said an "explosive" HSE report had been lodged by the school, with the department outlining the physical condition of the school.
The school currently has 17 prefabs located within its grounds. Local Fine Gael TD Pat Breen has compared the school to a concentration camp.
"The decision that we have to decide now is who do we sue for reckless endangerment over the current state of the school.
"Will it be the Minister for Education? We have to examine this," Mr Stack said.
Fine Gael education spokesman Brian Hayes last night said more than half of critical school building projects that were ready to go but awaiting approval from the department had, once again, been ignored by the Mr O'Keeffe.
Larry Fleming, president of the Irish Primary Principals' Network, said that it seemed as if the goalposts had been moved yet again, with no apparent rationale for some schools being included in the projects announced yesterday while others were left out.
