Lack of funds hinder career guidance

SECOND-LEVEL students are being left without modern materials to perform tests that can help advise on careers, subject choices and difficulties with reading or maths due to inadequate government funding, guidance counsellors have claimed.

The Department of Education provides each second-level school with €250 a year, or just €150 if it has fewer than 350 students, to help meet the cost of test materials. An extra €150 is available for schools getting the grant for the first time.

These tests can be used by guidance counsellors, learning support and special education teachers. The first comprehensive list of approved tests was issued in a recent letter to schools.