Quinn warned over lack of proper school management

The growing mountain of paperwork involved in running schools that have no proper management structures is putting student-focused reforms at risk, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has been warned.

He was at the first annual congress of the Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), the body representing the 16 ETBs that replaced vocational education committees (VECs) in July.

ETBI president Noel O’Connor said the boards are well placed to deliver planned changes in further education and training, including their work with Solas, which will soon take over the training functions of Fás.

However, he also raised the difficulties caused by reduced resources in the 250 second-level schools under ETB management. He stressed the need for proper supports to principals, who are expected to lead increasing educational reforms when staff with posts of responsibility are not being replaced when they retire.

“Without fit-for-purpose middle management, our schools will not be able to deliver sustainable reform. If we further avoid this issue, we put the management of our schools and the implementation of educational reforms at risk,” he said.

In addition to the roll-out of the new junior cycle framework, national literacy and numeracy strategy and self-evaluation for schools, new procedures were recently announced on how to deal with bullying. Mr Quinn published draft rules and legislation this month to dictate how schools admit new entrants each year.

Mr O’Connor said principals, school boards, and ETBs need to work with more than 500 department circulars, forms, guidelines, procedures, legislation, and strategy documents.

“There is urgent need to bring rationality to this mountain of documentation and reduce the workload on those who manage our schools, giving them time and space to undertake their more important functions,” he said.

Mr Quinn announced to ETBI delegates in Naas, Co Kildare, that the Government has approved the nomination of Small Firms Association ex-director Pat Delaney to chair the first board of Solas.

“Pat will have a strong ability to ensure that the further education and training sector becomes increasingly aligned with the needs of industry. The Solas mandate will be to ensure the provision of 21st century high-quality further education and training programmes to jobseekers and other learners,” he said.

Mr O’Connor said a review is urgently needed of adult guidance service resources to ensure access to information that helps people enrol on courses that match their skills and interests.

“There are real costs to the State and to learners when people enrol in unsuitable courses, and then drop out, or complete courses that do not provide them with a progression route to either further education an training, or work suited to their aptitudes,” he said.