Education access plans ‘need overhaul’

BETTER planning and less duplication of resources is needed if the educational system is to be accessible to everyone, a major report has warned.

The first report of the Educational Disadvantage Committee, received by Education Minister Noel Dempsey last week, calls for a radical rethink.

The report highlights past failings, particularly in the area of funding and staffing resources for initiatives aimed at tackling educational disadvantage. Dozens of such schemes are funded by the Department of Education at pre-school, primary, second and third-level.

“Increased expenditure alone has not been shown to solve the problems of educational disadvantage in the past. In an environment of budgetary constraints, it is particularly important to target investment in the most strategically effective way.

“Savings may be made by reducing overlap between current programmes and by avoiding duplication of roles and staffing,” the report said.

Mr Dempsey has been critical of many schemes in schools which, he said, are often doing the same job without being linked.

The Department of Education has introduced a number of initiatives to tackle disadvantage in recent years, aimed at preventing early school leaving, improving staffing levels and promoting co-operation between home, school and the community.

However, this latest report said current practices in many initiatives appear at times to reinforce poor performance rather than reward success.

It suggests objectives, for example, which emphasise benefits from any qualification rather than focusing on keeping young people in school to complete the Leaving Certificate.

In order to achieve a better co-ordinated approach, the report said organisational reform and re-structuring is needed in Mr Dempsey’s department.

Much of this work has already been done as a result of a 2000 report recommending that various sections dealing with social inclusion be brought together in a new division.

The third main recommendation of the Educational Disadvantage Committee is that staffing in disadvantaged schools be weighted to reflect the needs of students, as also suggested in the 2000 Cromien report.

The committee, chaired by UCC vice-president Professor Áine Hyland, suggested a similar approach in relation to other resources, such as grants for these schools.

Their work will continue by identifying policies, programmes, actions and resources to address educational disadvantage.