Sir, – Quite inexplicably, the Government is applying the heaviest cuts in education to the most vulnerable children from disadvantaged areas. We all know that we have to trim expenditure, but we do expect some rationale behind the decisions.
The Department of Education and Skills deserves credit for the support they have given to disadvantaged schools over the past 15 years.
The DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) scheme has been a success in improving literacy and numeracy in disadvantaged schools and in providing additional emotional and social support to students.
Remarkable results have been achieved through additional teaching, smaller class sizes and through small group work.
The Edmund Rice Schools Trust is trustee of 98 schools in the State. A significant number of these schools are in DEIS so we are well placed to see the practical consequences of what had been enlightened policies. We are very concerned at the dismantling of the DEIS scheme in this budget. Every child counts in her or his own right; every child deserves to be honoured, nurtured and encouraged to flourish to full potential.
Children are different to each other. Adjusting numbers across the board on the Government’s Estimates of Expenditure without regard for difference is grossly unjust. To ignore the particular needs of the most disadvantaged is a radical departure from what had been a well thought through and far-sighted approach to reducing inequality and disadvantage.
We can only hope that this policy change is an oversight rather than a deliberate political judgment. We urge an immediate re-think. – Yours, etc,