Literacy camp funding must be maintained

INVARIABLY, when an international corporation establishes an industry in Ireland, the high quality of the education system is mentioned as one of the main reasons for locating here.

Sadly, however, after an OECD report last December showed an alarming decline in literacy and numeracy among Irish 15-year-olds, that is now something of an empty boast.

In an excellent programme aimed at reversing one aspect of this alarming trend, dozens of schools up and down the country have held summer literacy camps with the aim of boosting the skills of pupils in reading and writing. While this is the fourth year for some schools, the significance of the venture has never been more important.