What are we Calling for?
Stand Up for Education is calling for frontline education services to be protected in the interests of our children and of the economic and social future of Ireland. We are calling for Government commitment to safeguard and protect the following elements of education:
At second level
- Removal of the moratorium on middle management posts in schools so that they can make the necessary vital appointments such as year heads and examination secretaries.
- Adequate staffing levels in schools to protect
- Subject choices and subject levels within the school
- Career options for students
- Supports for children with particular needs
- Class sizes
- Length of the tuition week
- Discipline and pastoral care
- Alternative programmes for schools:Leaving Cert Applied, Junior Certificate Schools Programme, Transition Year
- Funding for schools maintenance.
Despite the commitments in the Renewed Programme for Government that there would be no further staffing cuts, despite the small increase in the number of teachers and the limited restoration of funding to schools there remains a serious problem.
The cuts in the pupil/teacher ratios imposed in the 2008 Budget remain in place and have the direct effect of reducing subject options, amalgamating class levels e.g. Higher and Ordinary level courses which should be separate. These cuts require to be reversed.
Supports for Traveller education
- Adequate appropriate support for Traveller education at all levels, including the capitation grant and integration programmes.
At Further Education/Adult Education Post Leaving Certificate
- Greater recognition of the role of the sector in the Government's Employment Activation Programme i.e. Greater use of the education system in the provision of courses for those without work.
- Greater numbers of places on PLC and other adult education courses - removal of artificial limits on enrolment on PLC and other Further Education courses including the VTOS and the Back to Education Initiative.
- Removal of the Moratorium which is preventing the filling of co-ordination posts and killing adult education
- A comprehensive Adult Guidance scheme to provide advice on courses to the unemployed.
At Third Level
- Greater recognition of the role of the sector in the Government's Employment Activation Programme
- Increased staffing to cater for the steep increase in student numbers
- Funding for the necessary programmes in the Institutes of Technology
- Permission to allow for the filling of all necessary appointments in the interest of students and of the quality of their courses.
For Families
- A freeze on the level of registration charges for Third level colleges - Institutes of Technology and Universities
- A freeze in the school transport charges.
