TDs to tell schools cut uniform cost
Following further criticisms over the summer of the prices families of children at some schools must pay for uniforms, the issue is to be the basis of a hearing of the Dáil select committee on education.
The move is backed by Education Minister Ruairi Quinn after surveys published this summer suggest the average cost of sending a primary-level and second-level student back to school this month is over €1,100, when uniforms, books, and other costs are added.
Joanna Tuffy, chair of the Dáil education committee, said she expects a hearing later in the autumn to consider wider issues associated with education costs but school management bodies may also be invited to meet TDs early next year.
“When I see the costs of uniforms in some of the recent surveys, that certainly isn’t the case in many schools,” said Ms Tuffy. “It can be done much cheaper by schools, they don’t have to go with the branded uniform, when a badge or logo could be put on a generic uniform.”
“They can give parents more choice about where they buy uniforms, particularly with the speed at which children grow up and some may be needing to replace the entire uniform during the school year.”
She suggested there could be scope for the 16 new Education and Training Boards, due to replace the 33 city and county vocational education committees next year, to help schools in the same areas make savings by working together on competitive pricing.
“The legislation on the ETBs envisages them working to get savings for local schools on the basis of volume purchases, so they could work together on book rental schemes as well,” Ms Tuffy said.
“With rental schemes, parents contribute anyway so it’s about trying to get the best price possible if the schools buy collectively.”
Mr Quinn has made repeated calls for uniform policies that are easier on parents’ dwindling budgets. But he repeated this week that he has no powers to force schools to act.
However, Ms Tuffy said increased pressure from politicians and parents can have an effect.
“There’s a point to be made where you are putting an expectation on the people who are responsible that they will think about the parents and the costs they are facing,” she said.
A Department of Education report in May indicated that, while most primary schools use their book grants of €11 per pupil to set up rental schemes, others spend the money on stocking libraries or helping families with book costs.
The Department of Social Protection has already paid the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance to almost 160,000 families and another 25,500 applications have to be processed.
The number of new applications has fallen to around 700 a day — 1,000 fewer than were being received each day up to a month ago. But more than 20,000 families have applied since the start of August and the 70,500 applications up to the start of this week come in addition to payments of €39m already made to 115,350 homes. They received the allowance in July without having to apply, after qualifying for payments last year.
With payments for primary-aged children cut this year from €200 to €150 and older children making families eligible for a €250 payment (€55 less than last year), Social Protection Minister Joan Burton’s budget for the scheme has fallen to €63.7m. In 2011, almost €91m was paid to 196,000 families but children aged two to four years are no longer covered from this year. Almost 90% of the 19,336 applications for the allowance that were processed up to the end of July were approved.
The department said this week that it was processing claims received in the first week of August.
“Payment in respect of these claims will issue on a daily basis, so it is expected that the majority of customers will receive their payment within four weeks of applying,” it said.
— Niall Murray
