Good education ‘could become a commodity’

QUALITY education is in danger of becoming a consumer commodity instead of a public right, the head of the body reviewing the Leaving Certificate warned yesterday.

Anne Looney, chief executive of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), stressed the dangers of competition among schools to principals. But delegates at the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) conference in Killarney were also told about the ability of radical changes being planned for senior cycle education to help redress moves towards private education.

Ms Looney said society is in danger of moving from looking at education as a public good to being a private asset, and students are judged as better than others if they don’t have to share a school with them.