Education report - Resources key to tackle inequalities

The first report of the Educational Disadvantage Committee, which represents the views of a considerable constituency of organisations involved in the field, would appear to be a commitment to common sense.

The report recognises that money alone will not solve the problems attendant on educational disadvantage, and that a streamlining and integration of resources in order to avoid duplication, would be more effective in achieving results.

It also has the virtue that the Committee and the Minister for Education, Noel Dempsey, appear to be singing from the same hymnsheet insofar as where trying to achieve educational inclusion on a strategic basis is concerned.

Currently, there are 210 second level schools and 273 primary schools which are designated disadvantaged, and there are more than 80 youth work and other schemes funded by the Department of Education. Invariably, with such a plethora of schemes and demands, duplication occurs.

The report from the Educational Disadvantage Committee addresses those shortcomings in a practical manner. Furthermore, it does so with the benefit of the experience of the 300 individuals from various sectors of the educational system who attended their forum last year, from which the report emanated.

As committee chairperson Professor Áine Hyland pointed out, it is clear that there is a widespread commitment to a new strategy for achieving educational inclusion, focused on ensuring that everyone has access to, participates in, and benefits from learning opportunities throughout their life.

She said it should be recognised that increased expenditure alone had not been shown to solve the problems of educational disadvantage in the past. In an environment of budgetary constraint, it was particularly important to target investment in the most strategically effective way.

The minister would certainly endorse those sentiments and he has previously stated that many schemes in schools are often doing the same job.

In recent years the Department of Education introduced several initiatives to combat disadvantage, focusing on the prevention of early school-leaving, improving staffing levels and promoting co-operation between home, school and the community.

Based on the work of the forum, the committee believes they are in a position to begin to identify policies, programmes, actions and resources that can address the causes of educational disadvantage.

It also proposes to identify relevant and attainable targets and outline possible policy options for the Government.

What is essential is that the needs of pupils in disadvantaged areas be not just recognised, but realistic provision by way of resources be made to overcome those disadvantages.

Between the minister and the committee, and the various sectors whose views it reflects, there exists the grounds for tackling educational exclusion effectively.