Speech
Speech by Seán Ó Foghlú, Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills, at the 2016 CPSMA AGM
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Good afternoon.
Unfortunately, given that there is a general election on today, it is not possible for the Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan, to attend today.
She has asked me to pass on her apologies and to speak on her behalf this afternoon.
In speaking at your AGM today, my first thoughts are for Sr Eileen Randles. For many of us now in the department we first got to know Sr Eileen in her capacity as general secretary in the CPSMA, for example, in the context of the National Education Convention. She both represented your perspective and had such a leading impact on your thinking in her time in that role. We knew her in successive roles after that, of course, and we already greatly miss her input into dialogue on many issues. She remains very much in our thoughts and prayers.
I would also like to allow an opportunity for dialogue with you this afternoon. For the discussion, I will be joined by my colleagues from the department – Martin Hanevy and Alan Wall.
In my speech today, I would like to highlight the programme of extensive change to all levels of the education system that we are implementing.
The four themes for the reforms are as follows:
On the first of these themes, I would like to update you on the literacy and numeracy strategy, curricular reform and the digital strategy.
As I emphasised last year, the 2011 National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy drives the implementation of a programme of reform focused on curriculum, assessment and teaching practices.
Given the progress in the area, the Minister decided to bring forward the interim review of the Strategy. The views gathered during the review process, to date, have shown us a number of areas which merit more specific emphasis up to 2020.
Work is also in the early stages on a new primary mathematics curriculum. Background research reports has been published.
A new integrated Primary Languages Curriculum, incorporating Irish and English, has been developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
The curriculum aims to ensure that primary pupils acquire transferrable language skills which will assist them in learning Irish and English during their primary education and thereafter add additional languages to their language repertoire at second level. It also aims to promote a positive disposition towards communication and language and to foster within children a lifelong interest in and a love of language learning.
As you know, the first phase of the new curriculum will be introduced from Junior Infants to 2nd classes from next September.
Work is continuing on the language curriculum for 3rd to 6th classes which will follow on from the curriculum developed for the junior primary classes.
The NCCA is now looking at the primary school curriculum as a whole and engage in an extensive consultation process. Again this is work that is at an early stage of development but over the next year or so, we expect to see a consultation from the NCCA on this overall review.
The new Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020, enhancing Teaching, Learning and Assessment was launched by the Minister in October 2015.
The new Strategy builds on earlier work and it links with other strategies curriculum and otherwise.
In relation to improving quality and accountability, I would like to focus on school leadership and school autonomy and accountability.
The Minister formally launched the Centre last December.
The establishment of the Centre is an exciting development and presents a great opportunity to enhance leadership in our schools. The Centre will, through a process of genuine collaboration with other providers, ensure that school leaders can access a rich programme of support that is designed to enhance and support leadership.
Currently, the Centre’s main focus is on the training of Principal Mentors to support newly appointed Principals from next September.
The Centre will also develop a new post graduate programme for aspiring school leaders.
The team will continue to explore with you how school leaders can be further supported and I thank you for your contribution to the Centre to date.
Last December, the department published a research paper on the issue of advancing school autonomy in Ireland. The research paper summarised a detailed review of the research on school autonomy and examined the feasibility of a range of possible options for advancing school autonomy in Ireland.
The paper was accompanied by a consultation paper, which set out some key questions arising from the findings of the research. We sought views, observations and suggestions on the issue. We hope that this will be the first step in a wide-ranging debate on the topic of school autonomy.
I am pleased that the process is underway with submissions having been made by a range of education partners, including the CPSMA, as well as individuals and I look forward to an ongoing debate on this in the near future.
Turing to supporting inclusion and diversity I would like to update you on our re-examination of how we can best support children and young people with special educational needs and those suffering educational disadvantage, and on school patronage and admissions issues.
In 2014, the National Council for Special Education recommended a new model for allocating resource teaching support to schools, based on the profiled needs of each school, rather than on the diagnosed disability of individual children.
Following a wide ranging consultation process, the Minister established a pilot of the new allocation model. The Pilot commenced at the beginning of the current school year and is ongoing.
On conclusion of the pilot, at the end of this year, a review will be conducted with a view to finalizing the new allocation model for introduction, subject to Government approval, from the start of the 2017/20018 school year.
DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools aims to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed. Evaluations of the programme show that has made a significant impact on learning outcomes at both primary and post-primary levels.
A review of the DEIS programme announced last year is now well underway. The majority of the work involved is scheduled to take place during the course of the current school year and it is envisaged that a renewed programme of supports will be in place in schools in September 2017, subject to Government approval.
We are continuing to work on the area of pluralism and diversity in education.
The launch at this event last year by the Catholic Schools Partnership of its resource for Catholic schools on developing polices and sharing best practice with regard to inclusion of all pupils is a positive contribution to this work.
Also, following on from the recommendations of the Forum on Patronage Report, the NCCA is developing a curriculum in Education about Religion and Beliefs and Ethics. A public consultation opened in November and will run until the end of March.
The Report on the Forum also recommended a review and updating of the Rules for National Schools and in particular, Rule 68. The Minister decided to remove Rule 68 earlier this year. In doing so, she outlined that its removal is designed to ensure that the basis on which schools operate is in keeping with the diverse nature of our modern school system, comprising both denominational and non-denominational schools, and with a system which must respond to the reality of a more pluralist Ireland and the need to accommodate diversity.
As the Minister set out the removal of rule 68 does not interfere with the teaching of religion in denominational schools. Nor does it interfere with the rights of denominational schools to maintain an ethos in keeping with their particular denomination. This right is protected in primary legislation under the 1998 Education Act which requires Boards of Management to uphold and be accountable to Patrons for the characteristic spirit of the school.
In relation to reconfiguring our primary school provision and patronage the Catholic Church, the largest denominational provider in primary education, has highlighted the necessity for a greater plurality of provision to respond effectively in this changing social landscape.
New school establishment procedures now give parents an opportunity to express a preference regarding the type of new school to be established to serve their area where there is a demographic need for a new school.
In an area of stable population growth where a new school is not required, there are opportunities however to provide choice in such areas by re-configuring existing provision. Eight new schools have opened under this process between 2013 and 2015.
We are continuing constructive engagements focused on achieving choice in other areas with stable demographics.
We look forward to continuing this discussion in a spirit of collaboration in order to achieve our shared objectives.
The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, was published in April 2015. Unfortunately due to time constraints and the complex nature of the legislation the Bill did not proceed.
Also, since the publication of the Bill, there has also been public debate on provisions in the Equal Status Act which allow oversubscribed denominational schools to prioritise applicants of the school’s denomination over other applicants.
The issues originally identified in the Bill and these further issues will need appropriate further consideration in the coming months.
Today, I would also like to mention your new boards of management.
New Boards of Management have taken up office just a couple of months ago following elections processes undertaken throughout the country. I am aware of the significance and scale of this event across the primary school system and of the time and work involved in electing and nominating the over 25,000 board members across the country.
I would like to wish all of the new Boards well in their important work over the next four years.
You will be aware that we published a new “Governance Manual for Primary Schools”, a copy of which has been provided to every board member across the system.
I would like to thank CPSMA for its valuable input to the development of the new manual.
This is an important document for Boards. Not only does it set out the various rules and procedures regarding the composition and operation of the board, but is stresses the importance of every board having a very clear understanding of its fundamental responsibility to ensure that the school is managed in a manner that enables it to achieve the best outcomes possible for its pupils.
Of course, appropriate training and support is key to Boards effectively undertaking this responsibility. In this regard, the department is also grateful to CPSMA for the role it plays in providing training and ongoing guidance and support to its member Boards throughout the country.
The department is also pleased to support an increased focus on the use of online-based training to facilitate the delivery of training modules for each Board member.
As well as advancing the change agenda which I have updated you on today, there is also a need to consider the priorities for investment in the future.
There was a welcome increase in resources for schools announced in the Budget.
There are additional teaching posts for primary schools next year to meet ongoing demographic pressures.
Additional posts will also provide for an improvement in the staffing schedules. This translates to a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule to be implemented for the 2016/17 school year. This will see the primary staffing schedule operate on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils. Lower thresholds apply for DEIS Band 1 schools. There are also additional resource posts to meet special education needs
This additional resource will also allow for an improvement to the scheme of release time for principal teachers at primary level.
The new 6 Year school building Programme announced last November contains 186 large scale construction projects for primary and special schools as part of a €2.8 billion school investment programme. The new Programme will also assist in completing large scale projects that were announced and are progressing under the 5 year multi-annual Plan.
In considering future investment, it will not be possible to satisfy all of the demands placed on the education system at the one time. It is therefore important for you to focus on what you believe the top priorities should be. It is my hope that funding, while limited in nature, will continue to be made available over the next few years to invest in our schools. The critical challenge for us all, will be to ensure that whatever additional resources are made available, that they are utilised in such a way as to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.
Mar fhocail scoir, ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil as ucht an deis a thabhairt dom labhairt libh ag bhur gcomhdháil. Táim ag tnúth le breischainte libh anois.
[In conclusion, thank you again for the opportunity to speak at your conference. I look forward to the opportunity for further dialogue now.]