How Quinn can make a difference

The new Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn has the unenviable task of boosting standards in Irish education with virtually no additional investment. Here’s an 11-point action plan to help him turn things around

1 PUT YOUR HANDS UP AND ADMIT THERE ARE DEEP-SEATED PROBLEMS IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM

For decades, successive ministers for education have congratulated teachers on our world class education system – even as some of the same teachers pointed to an alarming decline in standards. Batt O’Keeffe broke the mould in 2009 by raising awkward questions about the quality of Irish graduates – and by refusing to act as a cheerleader for the Irish education system.

Late last year, the latest OECD world rankings confirmed the Irish system was nothing like as good as we thought. Almost a quarter of our 15 year-olds are functionally illiterate. On reading levels, Ireland has slipped from fifth place in 2000 to 17th place, the sharpest decline among the 39 countries surveyed.

In maths, Ireland has fallen from 16th to 26th place, the second steepest decline among participating countries. Ireland is now ranked as below average in maths.

The new Minister’s first message should be to acknowledge these deep-seated problems and end the culture of complacency.

The signs are good. On the day after his appointment as Minister for Education and Skills last week, Ruairí Quinn described the OECD rankings as a “wake- up call’’ for the Irish education system .

2 ABOLISH BOTH THE JUNIOR AND LEAVING CERT

Neither exam is fit for purpose. And don’t just take my word for it.

Talk to US multinationals about their difficulty in recruiting top-class graduates in key areas. Or listen to Tom Boland, head of the Higher Education Authority. He says many students weaned on the rote-learning culture of the Leaving struggle to adjust at third level.

The Junior and Leaving Cert exams seem increasingly out of place in an era of smart technology. We want an education system which promotes independent learning and critical thinking and one which encourages students to be multilingual and at the cutting edge of technology. That’s why both exams should be scrapped.

One piece of advice: set a time limit for the review of both exams which has been promised in the Programme for Government. And make sure the review team is full of radical, bold thinkers. The traditional education taskforce – made up of nominees from the teaching unions is exactly what’s not required. Their main agenda is to protect members. You need people who will take a wider view.

And while you’re at it, review the CAO points system which has not been subject to serious scrutiny since the 1999 Points Commission.

3 MAKE SURE EVERY TEACHER AT SECOND LEVEL IS QUALIFIED TO TEACH THE SUBJECT FOR WHICH THEY ARE TIMETABLED

It sounds straightforward. Every teacher should be qualified to teach their subject. But it’s not always the case in Irish schools .

Astonishingly, 48 per cent of our maths teachers at second level are not qualified in the subject. The practice of finding a teacher, any teacher, to take the maths or biology class must be banned. Our children deserve better.

The Minister might also end the system where key subjects are unavailable in some schools or only available at ordinary level. Make the system more flexible so that students can take different classes in different schools; a practice increasingly common in the North.

4 REFORM TEACHER EDUCATION AT BOTH PRIMARY AND SECOND LEVELS – EXTEND THE TIME AND CHANGE THE CONTENT OF THE COURSES

To update yourself, read a recent report from the Teaching Council (the professional body for teachers) on Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, one of the largest teacher training colleges in the State.

The report said trainee teachers spend too much time studying religion; the time allocated for religion was four times that for science.

It also said that programme overload meant students do not have time “to critically reflect on their professional development and practice”.

The new Minister should support the review of teacher training initiated by his predecessor – and make it a priority. He might also question why five State-funded teacher training colleges are controlled by the Catholic church.

5 MAKE MORE INFORMATION ON SCHOOLS AVAILABLE TO PARENTS AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY

For years, there has been a culture of secrecy in Irish education with virtually no information flow to parents. The Irish Times’ much copied Feeder School Lists have opened up a shaft of light. But parents can still struggle to get the information they need to make one of the most important decisions of their lives, namely, which school is best for my child?

One of the most common criticisms of school league tables is that they stigmatise schools in disadvantaged areas. But what’s the alternative? Ignoring the problem of some schools and pretending they don’t exist? Prof Colm Harmon of UCD– one of the few students from Ballyfermot Senior College to go on to university – recently backed an Australian-style system where exam results of all schools are posted on a website. “If there are great disparities in results and entrance to third-level education between different schools they should be highlighted. The information should be available to everybody, including researchers, and then the problems can by addressed by targeting more resources to those schools.’’

The bad news? The new Government already appears to have backed away from a Fine Gael plan which would have required all schools to publish exam results. The new Programme for Government says schools should provide public information “across a wide range of criteria”.

6 TACKLE CAUSE OF LITERACY AND NUMERACY DIFFICULTIES, ESPECIALLY IN DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS

There are some good ideas in the new Programme for Government on literacy. Disadvantaged primary schools will be required to teach literacy for 120 minutes a day. But more detail is required on how this will work.

Early childhood care is key here so Minister Quinn must work with Frances Fitzgerald, the new Minister for Children. Remember also that many of the problems are outside the school gates. An integrated approach across several departments may be required.

Don’t rule out incentives to attract the best teachers to the most difficult schools.

7 SPEAK UP FOR OUR UNIVERSITIES – THEY DESERVE MORE CREDIT

The universities often get a bad press because of the inflated salaries for senior figures and those bloated administrative structures. But they actually do a good job and give very good value to the taxpayer. TCD and UCD, for example, make do with about 60 per cent of the funding available to Edinburgh University yet both are ranked inside the world top 100.

What the universities don’t need is micro-management from the Higher Education Authority or the Department of Education. That said, you need to lay down some clear markers.

Make sure the taxpayer is getting a bang for

his buck when it comes to research funding.

Over €1 billion has been invested over the past decade and another €500 million is promised.

But the jobs return on this investment has been poor.

Tell the universities to stop competing against each other and look to the common good. End the practice where colleges will “clone’’ a successful courses offered elsewhere.

8 GRASP THE FUNDING NETTLE, DON’T LET IRISH HIGHER EDUCATION DECLINE

Tackling the funding crisis is the biggest issue facing higher education. The sector is struggling to cope with record numbers at a time when its funding is being cut back. The projected 30 per cent increase in student numbers over the next decade will bring the system close to breaking point.

We don’t need a review of the Hunt Report and OECD reviews as promised (threatened?) in the Programme for Government. This will only underline the scale of the funding crisis.

Here’s the reality. The 26,000 who pay at least €5,000 a year for private education at second level can afford to pay fees/loans at third level.

Embrace the student loan/graduate tax plan outlined by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. A higher education which is free at the point of entry and links fees to income after graduation is fair and just. Why should the ordinary taxpayer underwrite the €35,000 a year needed to train undergraduates in medicine when many proceed to lucrative careers?

A parallel system which protects poor and disadvantaged students is also essential. But the basic principle is this – those who can afford to pay for higher education should be asked to make a contribution.

9 BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO THE IRISH LANGUAGE. THE CHALLENGE HERE IS IMMENSE – OVERTURNING 90 YEARS OF FAILED IRISH LANGUAGE POLICY

The key issue is how Irish is taught in schools and how society values the language. Is reading, spelling, writing and grammar introduced too early in primary schools? Would the Minister be brave enough to propose spoken Irish only in primary school?

On compulsion, the new Minister might reference an Irish Times poll from 2005. Given a choice, a majority of parents said they would prefer their children to learn a foreign language rather than Irish. Does our society value our language as much as the pro-Irish lobby would have us believe?

10 TAKE A HARD LOOK AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The failure of the Department of Education to pick up on the decline in educational standards highlighted in last year’s OECD report must raise questions about its overall capacity.

The Department also failed to notice – or to inform anyone – about the persistent grade inflation in Irish third level colleges until two academics in Tralee, Co Kerry, identified the problem.

A decade ago, an expert report compiled by Seán Cromien, a former senior civil servant, was scathing about the department. It was, it said, a place where the urgent drives out the important.

The Department has raised its game by devolving powers to new agencies like the State Exams Commission but questions linger about its capacity to manage and drive Irish education. Should the so-called Department for Children and Schools be in control of higher education?

A key task facing the Minister is to take a hard, critical look at the Department of Education. He will find a good ally in Brigid McManus, the secretary general who is progressive and outward-looking.

11ADOPT A ZERO TOLERANCE APPROACH TOWARDS UNDERPERFORMANCE IN SCHOOLS

The vast majority of teachers in Ireland are high-calibre professionals with a huge commitment to their pupils but there is a minority who underperform.

This group can do great damage to pupils and undermine their academic potential. But in the past decade, not one teacher has been sacked for underperformance.

The Minister should listen to the concerns of parents and send the message that underperformance in the classroom will not be tolerated.

QUICK FIX: SOME OTHER MOVES THAT COULD HELP

* FIGHT TO KEEP EVERY CENT OF CURRENT FUNDING

There might not be much money swirling around but an education system that runs on two-thirds of the EU average cannot survive with anything less.

* INCREASE CLASS CONTACT TIME FOR SECOND-LEVEL STUDENTS

End the interminable summer holidays, introduced to facilitate farmers in the 1930s but out of kilter in the modern age.

* ALLOW EDUCATE TOGETHER TO EXPAND

Give Educate Together, the multi-denominational school group, the right to open second-level schools.

* ADDRESS THE CHRONIC UNDERPERFORMANCE BY BOYS AT SECOND LEVEL

Encourage co-ed schools at second level; boys do much better in this environment.

* SET UP A NATIONAL FORUM ON SCHOOL PATRONAGE

Follow on quickly on the commitment in the Programme for Government to establish a national forum on school patronage. Proceed with the plan before Diarmuid Martin, the most open advocate of change, seeks a transfer back to Rome. And remember the Irish Timespoll finding last year which found that 61 per cent favour transferring control of primary schools from the Catholic Church to the State.

* REVIEW THE PROMINENCE OF IRISH AND RELIGION ON THE CURRICULUM

By some estimates, over 30 per cent of all teaching time in primary schools is taken up by religion and Irish. Is this appropriate in an increasingly secular Ireland – and one where knowledge of a foreign language is so critical for employment. At present, primary schoolchildren receive no foreign language instruction.

* GET TOUGH ON ADMISSION POLICIES

Especially in those fee-paying schools who receive €100 million in State support. Penalise any private school where admission policies work to exclude minorities and children with learning needs. Ask the religious orders how they justify their continued support for elite education.