Disadvantage is top of Fine Gael's education agenda

If the Fine Gael party's front bench spokesperson on education gets his way - and his party gets back into power - education is set to become an even bigger spending area than it is already.

"Education is the goose that lays the golden egg," says Richard Bruton. "It's the boiler house of economic development, and is what has set Ireland apart from other countries in recent years."

However, despite the success of our education system there are some glaring inadequacies, particularly in the area of educational disadvantage, Bruton argues. This issue is now firmly at the top of the Fine Gael agenda.

"One fifth of children are leaving school with a Junior Cert or less. Research conducted by the Education Research Centre (at St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, Dublin) shows that one quarter of all adults have extremely low literacy levels and 17 per cent of 16- to 18-year-olds, who have had the benefit of a modern education system, are also leaving school with the lowest levels of literacy. A sizeable cohort is coming out of schools with educational problems and is unable to perform in the economy. In the future these people will be increasingly marginalised," he says. Heavy spending at third level must continue, but spending at first and second levels must be increased. "The average spend at primary level in other European countries is almost double expenditure at primary level here. There's no doubt that low levels of expenditure at first level correlate with the poor performances of many children from disadvantaged backgrounds." The two mainstream schemes to tackle disadvantage - extra money for designated schools and the remedial education scheme - have failed to produce results, Bruton says. "Research has shown that the extra capital grants to disadvantaged schools were insufficient to bring them up to the levels of other schools, while the remedial education scheme was never subjected to proper rigorous evaluation. The scheme was based on the premise that the problem was cognitive and that you could simply take children out of regular classes and teach them. But the research shows that the underlying problems can be social and that a more holistic approach is needed." Former Minister for Education, Niamh Bhreathnach deserves credit, Bruton says, for the introduction of initiatives which take such an holistic approach, but the programmes are small scale. "We need to put serious resources into these schemes," he stresses. When it comes to education, money must be spent, Fine Gael's education spokesperson says. "I have the acceptance of the Fine Gael front bench that spending on educational disadvantage will be a priority investment area." Michael Noonan, the party's spokesperson on finance, is on side and would, in the event of a Fine Gael government, bring the Department of Finance along with him.

Bruton has a busy time ahead of him. He plans to consult and hold workshops with all the education interest groups to work out "a coherent policy to tackle educational disadvantage from pre-school to third level." He argues for a rapid increase in State-funded pre-school places for special needs children and an expansion of the Early Start and other community programmes. "We need a balanced mix of programmes," he asserts. Many community groups are providing successful pre-school experiences. "We need to put in place investment, support and training for these groups." Guidance counselling at second level is another area in need of attention. "The needs of pupils have run way ahead of the capacity of the service," he notes. "There's a clear need to increase investment, especially in disadvantaged areas. As it stands, early school leavers have no contact with guidance counsellors. We have to develop guidelines to ensure that they have access to counselling. The current ratio for guidance counsellors is 1:500, but the common international ratio is 1:250. We have to start looking to a ratio which is closer to that average."

Schools, particularly those in disadvantaged areas, must become community campuses. Schools which operate initiatives to tackle disadvantage - homework clubs, for example - will be given more money and will be encouraged to tackle disadvantage in individual ways.

The low take-up of third-level places by students from non-traditional backgrounds is a cause of serious concern, Fine Gael's education spokesperson notes. "The universities must accelerate work in this area," he says. Income support for students remaining in education after the compulsory years is another issue on the agenda. "People in Youthreach can get income support from the age of 15, yet children staying on in school receive nothing. They shouldn't have to make educational choices based on income. I would envisage a system of means-tested income support for people staying on and going into third level. Families must be encouraged to see that it's irresponsible to take children out of school to work in part-time jobs." But if we are to increase participation rates at third level, surely we need to make greater numbers of college places available? Bruton rules out extensive building programmes. "The third-level colleges have to be more conscious of the way technology is changing and allow education to be provided in a variety of different ways. They should look at how information technology can be used to teach more people without embarking on massive building programmes. We need to look at other ways of providing education - distance learning, greater use of existing buildings and part-time education for example. It's quite unfair that part-time study is not eligible for financial support."

Bruton also calls for the development of "quality excellence strategies throughout the education system". He is, he says, "dismayed to find how little quantitative and qualitative analyses on our education system takes place." Clusters of schools must begin to work together at local level. "The Department of Education and Science is too remote to respond to local needs. We need to work on practical ways to develop local collaboration," he says.