The cost of providing education at the different levels varies because of the nature and duration of the programmes – for example preschool programmes typically involve a significantly shorter period than standard primary school day. OECD data indicates that in all member countries third level education has the highest unit cost per student, followed by second level and the primary sector has the lowest unit cost.
Since 1997 the spending on all levels of education has risen by unprecedented amounts. I have been particularly concerned to improve the position of funding for primary education. In the year 2000 funding for primary education will represent and increase of approximately one-third over the 1997 budget figure. This increase is particularly significant as primary pupil enrolments will have fallen by 32,000 or 7.2 per cent over the same period.
I have also prioritised capital expenditure at all levels and the capital provision at primary level for 2000 shows an increase of 186 per cent on the 1997 estimate and allows the undertaking of the largest primary school building programme in our history. As a result classes are smaller, schools are better resourced and modernised, and it has been possible to increase the funding to support children with special needs by over 250 per cent.
