IPPN

Last Updated: Thursday, 25 January 2007 01:00

Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland today IPPN Director Seán Cottrell said "Principals, teachers and parents should not have to fundraise for basic running costs for primary schools. Fundraising for survival takes from the core business of school which is teaching and learning. If schools operate strictly on government funding, many schools would be forced to close between February & Easter."

A recent survey of 200 primary schools conducted by IPPN (the Irish Primary Principals Network) has found that 97% of our primary schools do not receive enough to cover their basic running costs and 80% of schools depend on fundraising from parents to cover the shortfall.

Primary schools get €161 per child every year. This is to cover the basic costs of keeping the building open and operating so that teaching and learning can take place. It is meant to pay for heat, light, insurance, telephone, cleaning, and security as well as Art and Craft supplies, PE equipment, science materials, books, software and other educational resources for use by children. The average grant for the schools surveyed was €25,000. Their running costs averaged €48,000. The shortfall was €23,000 or nearly 100% of what they received from the Exchequer.

"This survey shows that our primary schools are receiving only half of what they need to operate." said Seán. "Paradoxically, when a child leaves primary and starts in a second level school, the grant changes from €161 to €316. This begs the question: Does it cost less to heat, clean and insure a building with 200 four year olds than a building with 200 fourteen year olds? "

Almost half of the schools surveyed operate from a bank overdraft for part or all of the school year. Schools open each year in September but do not receive the first part of their capitation grant until January. "We are in the vicious circle that any fundraising goes into the black hole of an overdraft. The bank has refused us an extension to the overdraft facility and is looking to get us to take a Term Loan to help us." reported one principal.

Tomás O Slatara, President of IPPN said. "If we are serious about education as a driving force for economic competitiveness, we must at a minimum double the investment in the basic running costs of schools. Schools are depending on the goodwill and financial support of parents to keep the doors open. This is not how it should be in times of prosperity."

"Garda superintendents and chief fire officers do not have to fund raise to meet the running costs of their stations. The time and energy I spend fundraising is time lost from teaching and learning" stated one principal in the survey.

IPPN Director, Seán Cottrell is calling for

* An independent analysis of the actual running costs of schools. * A serious debate involving all education partners * An end to fundraising in schools for basic running costs

"We are going to invest billions through the National Development Plan - gone should be the day when the next fill of oil in a primary school is dependent on the cake sale."

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