We need to protect our children’s education

AS a teacher/principal for the last 33 years I have witnessed what’s excellent in our primary school system. We survived the savage cuts of the 80s to build a top-class education system.

The greed and lack of regulation and leadership has seen our nation fall from its lofty perch to one lacking in confidence and awash with despair.

My own two children have been forced to emigrate to Australia and New Zealand to build new lives far away from their parents and friends. They, at least, were well served by our education system and have the skills to survive abroad.

The proposed education cuts will take teachers out of the classrooms and lead to falling standards.

Why burden the children of this and future generations with the neglect of politicians, bankers and developers?

We’re losing our brightest. Why condemn the infants of today to bail out the gamblers and profiteers?

We have other options as outlined by numerous experts.

Minister Quinn, I appeal to you: don’t mortgage our children’s futures, they have only one chance.

Nurture and protect them, don’t desert them.

Gerard Ryan

Yorkboro

Boreenmanna Road

Cork City