Ireland bottom of the table for investment in education, OECD finds 

Ireland remains last out of 36 countries when it comes to investing in education as a measure of gross domestic product. Picture: iStock

Ireland remains last out of 36 countries when it comes to investing in education as a measure of gross domestic product (GDP).

That is according to the latest ‘Education at a Glance’ report, published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on Monday.

The report analyses all levels of education, with this year’s report including a strong focus on third-level.

All OECD countries devote a substantial share of national output to educational institutions, the report notes. Spending on education in Ireland in terms of its GDP amounted to 3.1% of our GDP in 2019, 2.3% in terms of primary and secondary, and 0.8% at third level.

This compares to 6.1% in the UK, 10.5% in Chile, and 6.5% in Norway. Education funding does not respond strongly to short-term fluctuations in GDP, the report notes, but is influenced by long-term trends in its growth.

"Public budgets are heavily scrutinised by governments and during economic downturns, even core sectors like education can be subject to budget cuts. 

"This indicator provides a point of reference, by showing how the volume of spending on educational institutions, relative to national GDP, has evolved over time in OECD countries." 

"In deciding how much to allocate to educational institutions, governments must balance demands for increased spending in areas such as teachers’ salaries and educational facilities with other areas of investment.”

In 2019, OECD countries spent an average of $17 560 per student per year at third level. In 2019, Ireland spent an average of just under $16,997. 

In 2019, Ireland also spent less than the OECD average on primary and secondary education, at just under $8,687 for primary, compared to just under $9,924, and at $10,353 at secondary compared to $11,400.

Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland president Miriam Duggan said we must catch up with our OECD and EU counterparts. 

"Smaller classes, improved buildings and IT resources, and more guidance counsellors are key areas crying out for urgent investment.”

Teachers Union of Ireland president Liz Farrell said the report puts the ratio of third-level students to teaching staff in Ireland at 22:1, "vastly" higher than the OECD and European averages of 15:1 and 14:1. 

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"It is a legacy of the ongoing political refusal to address the sector’s funding crisis, and a generation of students are losing out as a result.”

Further and Higher Education Minister Simon Harris welcomed the fact the report showed the number of young people in Ireland attending third-level education was significantly above the OECD average. Ireland ranks third in the OECD for the rate of third-level education attainment, at 54% compared to the average of 41%. 

“We have a good track record in relation to third-level education in Ireland, and I am pleased to see us building on this year on year. It is clear from the OECD report that Irish people understand its importance for their own wellbeing and success in life."