Back to school - Sustain the momentum

AROUND about this time the country’s primary and secondary schools are reopening after the summer break.

Some of the approximately 750,000 pupils will find themselves in one of the 30 new or extended school buildings open for the first time.

These buildings were provided in record time and are in stark contrast to the delays and prevarication surrounding so many more school developments.

Though Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe has a capital budget of €580 million for first and second-level schools there are far too many ill-equipped and inadequate schools. Though we are in a challenging economic period we must invest more at all levels of education if we are to become the society that we wish to be. The provision of these new buildings has generated a momentum that should be sustained.