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Ireland Under Invests in Education
Ireland under invests in education in comparative terms with 4.7% of GDP (down from 5.2% in 1995) invested in education in Ireland compared to an average 5.7% in 30 OCED countries.
OECD: What proportion of national wealth is spent on education (xls file)
500,000 workers need to be upskilled by one level in 2020 to retain competitiveness - Forfás
In 2008 the National Policy Advisory Body for Enterprise Forfás published a national skills strategy to recommend the education outcomes necessary for Ireland to be competitive in 2020. This included:
- An additional 500,000 individuals within the workforce will need to be upskilled and to progress by at least one NFQ level above their current level of education and training;
- The Leaving Certificate retention rate for young people should rise to 90%;
- By 2020, the proportion of the population aged 20-24 with NFQ level 4 or 5 qualification (Leaving Certificate or equivalent), should be increased to 94%; and
- The progression from second to third level education should increase from 55% to 72%.
The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs
Return on Investment
The OECD has calculated that on average across the 30 OECD countries the net public return from a male university graduate across his lifetime is approximately €35,000 which is nearly twice the amount of money originally invested.
Revised Programme for Government
Stand Up for Education has cautiously welcomed the provisions for education in the Revised Programme for Government, while stating that greater investment in education is still required.
Proposed Renewed Programme for Government, 10 October 2009
There is Still a Better Fairer Way
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions outlines a better faired way to national recovery that does not involve drastic cuts on frontline service such as education.
http://www.getupstandup.ie/betterfairerway/
