asked the Minister for Education if a parent is entitled to inspect the record card of his or her child who is attending a primary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Primary School Record Cards.
32.
The school record card is a confidential document between the principal of the primary school and the authorities of the post-primary school to which the pupil transfers on completing his primary education.
Every parent is furnished with a school report on his child or children at the end of the school-year in respect of the second and higher standards.
Surely the parent of a child must be entitled to have a look at this card? It is nonsense to suggest that anything else should apply.
I do not know if the Deputy is aware of the contents of the school reports to which the parents have access. The report is very detailed. The other is purely a matter of confidential instructions between one teacher and another when a child passes from one school to another. I do not think there is any suggestion that anything is being withheld from the parents in which they are vitally interested.
Would the Parliamentary Secretary not accept that the education given in schools is given on behalf of the parents who delegate their functions as the primary educators to the schools? Surely they are entitled to information about their children and to know what information is being passed on about their children.
All the information that is necessary about the children and about their educational prowess is contained in the report card to which the parents have access. It includes attendance, diligence, conduct, and there is a specific report on each of these items apart from the subjects. There is also a provision for general remarks.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say what extra items are contained on the record card?
No.
Why?
As I said, they are confidential matters between the teacher and——
(Interruptions.)
Surely there may be important information relating to a child's makeup and to which the parent should have access if the parent is deciding on the child's future course? After all, confidentiality between the teacher and the Department is nonsense in relation to the future of the child——
It is not between the teacher and the Department.
——when the parents must establish the future of the child.
The Deputy is mistaken when he says there is confidentiality between the teacher and the Department. There is not. I am quite sure that all parents, and parents in this House, will be guaranteed the provision which of course parents are entitled to as the primary educators and there is nothing in the matter which the Deputy has raised which cuts across this. The Deputy is very naïve if he thinks that there are some matters in life which cannot be retained as confidential.
What rights of parents do this Government recognise, if any, other than the right to have their representatives appointed for them?
None at all.
That is a separate question.
The remark is inaccurate and quite typical of the Deputy and other Deputies.
The remaining questions will appear on tomorrow's Order Paper.
I wish to give notice, Sir, that I wish to raise the subject matter of Question No. 29 on the Order Paper of May 27th, 1971.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.
I wish to raise the subject matter of a wool market for Sligo, a question about which I had tabled last week.
The Chair will communicate with the Deputy.