Gap in two-tier system getting wider

THE gap in Ireland’s two-tier education system is increasing, the president of the 14,000-member Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), Paddy Healy, claimed yesterday.

“We’re not just talking about fee-paying schools and public sector schools, but about a much deeper divide,” he stated.

“Public sector schools are becoming more inclusive, but the education system is becoming more exclusive, with students who have special needs being redirected from schools fully funded by the taxpayer to ... schools in disadvantaged areas.”