Funding cuts will affect possible drop-outs, says teacher’s union

GOVERNMENT cuts in education funding will affect students who are most at risk of dropping out of school, teachers have warned.

The introduction of new courses in art and technology, subjects which have been delayed for up to four years, could have helped those at risk of dropping out — particularly boys — to remain interested in education, according to the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI).

It claims the cut of funding to the Integrate Ireland Language Training (IILT) service which emerged this week will also make it harder for schools to help newcomer children benefit from education.

Schools were to have started teaching a revised art syllabus four years ago. The Department of Education promised funding last year for teacher training to allow the new Leaving Certificate engineering technology and architectural technology subjects to be taught from next autumn. But as the Leaving Certificate enters its final week today, TUI education and research officer Bernie Judge said there is huge frustration in second level schools about the delays.

“These subjects are supposed to be helping modernise the education system and some of them are designed to be attractive for those everyone is so concerned about dropping out. But it won’t help young boys to stay on after Junior Certificate if there isn’t a range of subjects to appeal to them,” she said.

The technology subjects are two of the four for which courses were designed, but two others — design and communications graphics (replacing technical drawing) and technology — will be examined for the first time in next year’s Leaving Certificate.

The department indicated earlier this year that the cost of professional development and capital investment in schools to begin the new subjects was the main reason they could not begin from September. However, a pilot revision of second level maths education is already being extended in the next school year to try and improve interest and performance in the subject.

“It is a cause of tension in every staff room that some subjects are getting new courses and syllabi, while others are left on the shelf. Everyone appreciates the importance of maths and science, but there are other subjects just as important and it’s pitiful to use resources as an excuse,” Ms Judge said.

The IILT was set up in 2001 and offered training and classroom resources to language support teachers working with children who need help learning English, as well as classes for adult refugees. The Department of Education said last week that these services will be taken up by other education agencies but the TUI believes the move is symptomatic of general cutbacks.

“We’re starting to see services with smaller budgets being curtailed at a time when the country continues to enjoy the benefits of the successful economy over the past decade,” she said.