Irish education system not ready for 'full inclusion' 

In 2019, the NCSE recommended that the State should consider a move towards full inclusion, which would see all children educated together with the appropriate support in place. However, the proposals were met with concern from some parents, teachers, and boards of management. 

The Irish education system is not ready for ‘full inclusion’ which would see all children attend mainstream schools regardless of their level of disability.

That’s according to Teresa Griffin, the chief executive of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

Ms Griffin was speaking at the annual Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) conference, held virtually on Friday.

In 2019, the NCSE recommended that the State should consider a move towards full inclusion, which would see all children educated together with the appropriate support in place. However, the proposals were met with concern from some parents, teachers, and boards of management. 

When asked about the NCSE’s proposal, Ms Griffin said the council hopes to publish its policy advice on special schools and classes during the year. 

“The UN Convention for the Rights of People with Disabilities sets out quite clearly that the aspiration of the convention is that there would be one inclusive system where all students can be educated and that there is specialist education for children with additional needs within a mainstream school.” 

“I don't think you can say that the Irish education system is ready for full inclusion now,” she added. “If the Government agrees and wants to go along with a fully inclusive system, it will take years of intentional planning to achieve that.”

Many Irish schools are already quite close to it, she added. “But it is something that if you were to implement it on a systemic basis that it would require many years of intentional planning, and I think there would need to be quite a lot of consensus around it.”

"In the meantime, we actually have to live in the real world and we have to provide places for children who have recommendations for special school places or special class places." The NCSE will continue to open special schools, she added. 

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The annual conference also heard calls to appoint admin support to schools opening special classes. “The administration workload increases substantially on schools with special needs units,” said Damien White, IPPN president.

“The department, as a matter of urgency, should move towards appointing administrator principals to all schools with two or more special classes where units are attached to smaller schools.” 

The pandemic has also raised the question of equitable access to education in Ireland, he added. 

“I urge the Minister and her department to put in place the necessary measures to support the education and welfare of our most vulnerable children, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds. 

Proper psychological services should not be a luxury.

The pandemic has highlighted inordinate pressures on school principals, and of voluntary boards of management, according to Pairic Clerkin, chief executive of the IPPN. "Quite simply, that system will not survive. Too much is expected of these volunteers." 

This includes being responsible for employment matters, human resources, financial management, capital expenditure, and school planning.

"Unfortunately, these unreasonable expectations of voluntary community members, in most cases, fall on the shoulders of the school principal. That is one imperfection that our system cannot allow to continue."