18th July 2024
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has long campaigned for improvements to the DEIS scheme and additional supports for children living in poverty. The union participated in the OECD’s Review of School Resourcing to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland during summer 2023. The report, issued today, highlights several key findings and recommendations.
The OECD report acknowledges the strong performance and equity of the Irish education system, commending its commitment to supporting those at risk of educational disadvantage. However, it also identifies areas needing improvement:
Better Coordination: Enhanced coordination across Government departments to provide health and therapeutic services to children.
Holistic DEIS Support: While DEIS supports address educational disadvantage holistically, there is a need for more assessments and therapies for children.
HP Index: The use of the HP Index enhances trust in DEIS but could be further validated.
Professional Learning: Local needs of teachers in DEIS schools are met, but various factors limit their engagement.
Staff Shortages: Challenges in meeting learners’ needs due to staff shortages in both DEIS and non-DEIS schools.
Staff Diversity: Limited diversity among school staff, with underrepresentation from disadvantaged, Traveller, Roma, or migrant backgrounds.
Support System Strain: High needs among children are straining the support system, particularly in DEIS schools.
Parent and Community Engagement: While engagement is promoted, non-DEIS schools without the HSCL scheme may lack resources for effective engagement.
Reliance on Volunteers: Schools often rely on teachers or parents volunteering to provide certain services.
The report echoes several recommendations previously made by the INTO to the Department of Education, including:
Cost Review: Monitor and minimise the cost to families of providing education, adjusting the capitation grant as necessary.
Equity in Resources: Strengthen equity by reducing costs, reviewing volunteer commitments, and coordinating educational, health, and therapy services.
DEIS Indicators: Refine and validate indicators of social disadvantage to better target DEIS resources.
Resource Allocation: Ensure smoother allocation of resources and reduce the rigid division between DEIS bands.
Extended Support: Provide additional support to all disadvantaged children and young people.
Regular Assessment: Regularly assess educational disadvantage to allocate resources responsively.
Welcoming the report, INTO General Secretary John Boyle stated:
The OECD has shone a bright light on the outstanding work being done by schools nationwide to mitigate the negative effects of child poverty on the learning experiences of children. Government must surely recognise that at a time when the Irish economy is booming much more must be done to address educational disadvantage. The INTO once again calls on the Department of Education to:
- Increase the core grants paid to schools
- Provide incentives to retain teachers in DEIS band one schools
- Establish a DEIS plus scheme to target additional resources at schools serving the most marginalised communities
- Restore middle leadership posts in primary schools
- Appoint more teachers to the home school community liaison scheme
- Extend the in-school counselling pilot programme and the school inclusion project to all DEIS schools and provide well-resourced nurture rooms in these schools
- Strengthen the connections between pre-schools, primary schools, and post-primary schools in areas of acute disadvantage
These measures are absolutely necessary to provide equal educational opportunities for all children.