Call to fund fight against falling literacy levels

GOVERNMENT plans to tackle falling literacy levels can only be achieved if schools are properly staffed and funded, a teachers’ leader has claimed.

Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) president, Jack Keane, also warned against over-reliance on testing as he called for greater focus on developing students’ motivation, self-esteem and social skills as well as their academic abilities.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has made one of his priorities in his new job the development and implementation of a national literacy strategy, including the setting of targets by each school. A draft national literacy and numeracy strategy, launched by Mr Quinn’s predecessor Mary Coughlan last November, is strongly focused on reforms of how primary and second-level teachers are trained, including extending the length of degree courses.