Government urged to invest more in pre-school education

THE Government must invest more in pre-school education to increase quality and access, an expert said yesterday.

A recent international report found that only 40% of funding for pre-primary education in Ireland comes from the State, compared to an average of 83% in other member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

It also showed that just 26% of Irish three and four-year-olds were enrolled in education, compared to a 63% average in other developed nations.

The Government set up the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE) a year ago to advise them on policies for children up to the age of six.

The director of the centre, Heino Schonfeld, said Ireland should follow countries like Sweden, France and Italy, where early childhood education was largely state-provided for children from the age of one or two.

“All the international research has shown us that pre-school ages are the best times to invest in children’s future education chances, particularly for those living in disadvantaged areas,” he said. “There should be a system of partnership between private providers and state schemes, to help them achieve quality and affordability.

"In disadvantaged areas, it is particularly important because the private market can not provide services at affordable prices at the moment.”

The Government has acknowledged that spending on pre-primary education was low, compared to other OECD countries. But the Department of Education said most funding was targeted at disadvantaged areas through a pilot Early Start programme set up a few years ago.

The CECDE has begun a series of regional seminars.

After meetings in Dublin and Cork last week, Mr Schonfeld said the issue of funding had been the focus of attention by parents and professionals. “It’s a matter of luck for parents whether they can find a provider of sufficient quality, because there are no national standards,” he said.

Seminars are being held at Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill, tonight, in Óstán Cheathrú Rua, Co Galway, for Irish speakers on November 27 and in the midlands and Border regions on dates to be finalised.