The Minister for Education and Science went some way to assure second-level teachers in Tralee last night that the proposed system for evaluating schools will not result in league tables and unfair competition between schools.
The system, which has been introduced on a pilot basis in 12 schools, will not create unfair competition and the production of league tables, Mr Martin told more than 500 delegates at the 76th annual convention of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland. He said that "some teachers may have anxieties" about the proposed Whole School Evaluation system, but his approach "will be to affirm, support and advise schools. It emphatically will not involve the type of superficial and damaging approach associated with the production of league table comparison of schools.
"The strength of my commitment on this is clearly demonstrated by the proposal contained in the Education Bill to ban the obtaining of exam results for the purposes of publishing league tables."
The Minister issued a strong warning to employers of children who leave school before obtaining some qualification. He said employers had a duty to act responsibly and to ensure that their employee had access to some education or training up to at least age 18. "I believe that we need to refocus our efforts to increase completion rates and I intend to produce a number of initiatives on this."
Mr Martin said that "good economic times encourage children who do not easily fit into the school environment, or who are from hard-pressed families, to leave school or take up easily accessible jobs, which are almost always low-paid jobs with little prospect of advancement".
This was an issue he intended to address more fully in the coming months. Those who left school early had their life chances severely limited. The rate of long-term unemployment among those who dropped out before 15 was extremely high. Mr Martin explained why he did not want to make compulsory the establishment of boards of management with specific representation by teachers and parents. The ASTI had objected to this because its members in comprehensive schools are being denied full and formal representation on the boards.
"The inclusion of a compulsion on all schools to establish a specific board of management would involve a significant increase in State power over schools and would be constitutionally questionable," Mr Martin said. "I believe second-level schools should have inclusive boards of management and I will do all I can to ensure that they do."
He intends to bring together the principal partners in second-level education to begin drawing up agreements on management boards. The Minister promised the union a support team of practising teachers to carry out a programme of in-career development to prepare them for the revised Leaving Certificate English syllabus, which will come in in September 1999.
On the professional development of qualified teachers, he said he would put in place a body to conduct a fundamental review of post-primary teacher training, "to report to me within six months". There were many issues to be considered, including the number of HDip places, the methods of selection for these places, the balance between subject areas, the length of training and training methodologies.
"I intend that actions will be taken on the recommendations of the review effective from the start of the 1999 academic year," Mr Martin said. "In the interim I believe colleges should be allowed to increase their intake, specifically where these places are targeted to particular subjects."
The Minister apologised for delays following the PCW agreement in processing teacher applications and entitlements through his under-staffed Department.
Delays for up to 1,000 teachers who are waiting to receive their full HDip allowance and a smaller number of teachers who are retiring and have not yet received their full entitlements had been a cause of frustration and concern.
Mr Martin announced an increase of almost 40 per cent on the 1997 Budget for second-level building and renovation. He acknowledged ASTI concerns over the funding of schools, and promised an ongoing capital development programme which would address the issue of capital projects, in particular in areas of expanding population.