An insider’s guide to education

** Where has Minister for Education Mary Coughlan gone? After a bright start in Marlborough Street, she has been keeping a very low profile of late – despite this year’s media storm over the Leaving Cert and the return of the points race. All very curious; perhaps she is readying herself to deliver a Big Idea that will re- invigorate our education system.

** Is the fall in the world rankings of TCD and UCD a blessing in disguise for the university sector?

With luck , it might serve as a wake-up call for a Government that has no coherent policy for higher education.

Consider the current mess. The Government identifies the universities as key engines of economic revival, but then proceeds to starve them of funds. An expert report (commissioned by the Government itself) says bring back tuition charges, but the Government says this is off the agenda because of an agreement with the Greens.

It all means that Paul Gogarty of the Greens – and not Mary Coughlan – is dictating our higher education policy. In mitigation, the Government says their hands are tied by the Greens, but the canny Fianna Fáilers know the veto is also seen as a blessing that allows them dodge a bullet from the electorate on fees.

Meanwhile, two of the best education ministers of recent vintage – Batt O’Keeffe and Noel Dempsey – accept the case for fees in Cabinet and Fine Gael are also on side. But there is no movement and no policy despite all that guff about the Smart Economy. Could you make it up?

** Another year another OECD Education at a Glancelands on the desk. What a bizarre name for a tome that runs to almost 500 pages. That said, the OECD did a terrific job exposing the chronic under-funding in Irish education.

And how did the Department of Education and Skills defend itself? Actually, it was keeping quiet. Apparently the Central Statistics Office was asked to help dig the Department out of the hole – but no one told the Department’s press office. There is of course no defence that can be mustered. Education has been under-funded because the Department has persistently refused to stand up to the mandarins in Finance.

** How come so many senior Department of Education figures are media-shy? The secretary general Brigid McManus is an adept media performer and no Greta Garbo. But her team of assistant secretaries have no public profile – despite their important responsibilities.

Journalists have grown accustomed to briefings – sometimes on very sensitive issues – from senior officials in a range of Government departments including Finance, Foreign Affairs and even Justice.

How come the Department of Education remains in the dark ages?

Got any education gossip?

Mail in confidence to teacherspet@irishtimes.com