Up to the top of the class

Minister for Education Mary Hanafin consolidated her position as the teachers' pet during 2005, argues Seán Flynn, Education Editor

After the sound and fury of recent years, 2005 represented a relatively quiet period in education. The staff rooms were quiet, with no great appetite for conflict. Meanwhile, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin continued her love-in with the State's 45,000 teachers.

Hanafin has helped to rebuild bridges with teachers after the turbulent Noel Dempsey era. History will be very good to Dempsey, who was a real visionary in education. Many of the problems he diagnosed (the lack of school information, educational disadvantage and others) are being addressed or will have to be addressed.

But Dempsey's confrontational style was hated by teachers. Hanafin, a former teacher in Sion Hill, Dublin is seen as one of their own.

She is never more comfortable than when she is pressing the flesh and drinking cups of tea on school visits. This is someone who loves being Minister for Education. Among teachers, she is one of the most popular holders of the office in a generation.

That said, some teachers were taken aback when she told them sternly last week that their pay would be docked if they left their jobs to attend last Friday's Irish Ferries protest.

But it was a reminder that there is a great deal of steel behind all the cosy stuff.

Hanafin has the personal authority and respect to be a great education minister. But there is a sense, already, that 2006 may mark her last full year in Marlborough Street.

She will no doubt move on to bigger and brighter things if Fianna Fáil is still in power after the next election. If not, she will be on the opposition benches come the summer/autumn of 2007.

Hanafin surprised people by pushing through her plans to publish school inspection reports.

But it was a calculated risk. There is a huge public appetite for information on schools. Hanafin sold it to the teacher unions as a way of heading off school league tables.

The Minister took a brave stance on the issue of special needs provision in fee-paying schools, where some schools are ducking responsibilities.

She is known to be dismayed by the drift towards fee-paying and grind schools in Dublin. Many excellent schools - including Sion Hill - have seen enrolment figures fall by up to 60 per cent. The question is, what will the Minister do - or perhaps what can she do - to change things?

The other main features of the education year included:

Primary level

Buoyant Exchequer funding meant the Government could make real progress on issues such as class size, special needs provision and dilapidated school buildings. There is still much that is wrong in all three areas, but things are improving.

The INTO continued to stand tall as the most formidable education lobbying machine in the State. It deserves to share the credit with the Minister for much- needed change in several key areas during 2005.

Second level

A quiet year in which - believe it or not - the ASTI almost slipped off the radar at some stages.

The union is still nursing wounds after the bitter dispute of three years ago. It remains riven by all sorts of personalised divisions. Impressive general secretary John White has been a soothing influence but the union appears to have lost its voice on several key issues. 2006 can only be better.

Fundamental problems remain across the sector. Drop-out rates after the Junior Cert remain at worrying levels and the overall level of funding for second-level is very low as the ASTI, in fairness, has pointed out.

Third-level

Christmas came early for the sector with last week's €1 billion package of goodies. The new funding is not a panacea for all the ills of the sector. But it is a very significant first step towards a properly funded, world class third-level sector.

Take Five: education predictions for 2006

1 Mary Hanafin will put her department on a pre-election footing

With the clock ticking away towards the next election, you can expect the Minister to take few risks.

There will be no big rows with the teacher unions - if she can help it - and there will be a determined effort to spread the Good News about our world-class education system.

2 Parents will get to see school inspection reports

Who would believe it? Four years after the department refused to release inspection reports to The Irish Times, the same reports are to be made available to parents.

Expect the first reports to be published on the department's website by around March. This represents a revolution in our secretive and largely unaccountable education sector.

Watch out, however, for complaints from some individual teachers who believe they are being singled out - unfairly- for criticism.

3 There will be bitter controversy about third-level reforms.

The Government's Budget decision to give €300 million to a new reform fund represents a huge fillip for university presidents such as Hugh Brady (UCC), John Hegarty (TCD) and Gerry Wrixon (UCC).

Those with a reforming zeal in the universities will be rewarded with more money and better facilities.

Expect plenty of confrontation as the other colleges and institutes move to shake up their academic structures - and their academics.

4 Awkward questions will be asked about the overall level of education spending

With plenty of money sloshing around in the Exchequer coffers, the Minister will be able to sort out issues such as dilapidated primary schools and huge class sizes.

It is all very welcome. But some people are beginning to raise awkward questions about the overall level of education spending.

Our overall spending on second level is close to the bottom of the OECD. Overall spending, while increasing dramatically, still lags behind the world's best. Expect more focus on this issue.

5 The Teachers' Union of Ireland will become a force in the land

After years of inertia, the TUI has rediscovered its radical soul. The union has lobbied hard on student indiscipline and has highlighted the pitiful level of spending on further education. The union has a cadre of very impressive senior officials. Expect more progress in 2006.