Illiteracy a priority as €12.3bn is promised for children’s services

TACKLING illiteracy and early school-leaving among pupils from disadvantaged areas are among the priorities for children promised in a €12 billion-plus package in the National Development Plan (NDP).

A target has been set of halving the proportion of pupils with serious literacy difficulties from the current level of 27-30% to 15% by 2016, three years after the NDP runs out. Another aim is to ensure that the number of young people completing second level education rises to 90% by 2013, within the NDP’s timeframe. Funds totalling €12.3bn are promised for services and supports for children under the plan. It focuses heavily on “at risk” children who are vulnerable through educational disadvantage, homelessness, separation from family, placement in residential care facilities or other personal difficulties.

Under the DEIS programme (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), class sizes are to be reduced to 20 for junior pupils and 24 for senior pupils in urban primary schools serving disadvantaged communities.