Sorca Clarke
Question:493. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the review into the schoolbook grant scheme for primary schools. [47897/23]
View answerTuesday, 7 November 2023
Questions (493)
Written answers
Earlier this year, I announced a landmark new scheme which saw the government investing over €50 million to provide free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for pupils.
The investment in this scheme significantly increases the funding for schoolbooks provided to date to all recognised primary schools in the country.
More than 560,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, have benefitted from the new scheme from September this year.
Detailed guidance for primary schools on the scheme was published earlier this year and issued to all recognised primary schools and special schools.
The primary school book grant funding for the 2023/24 school year was paid directly to all recognised primary and special schools in April, to allow schools implement the scheme in time for the start of the school year.
The funding is provided directly to schools on the basis that, at a minimum, it eliminates the costs of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for parents. Schools therefore, continue to have the autonomy to choose books and related classroom resources to meet their needs.
My Department outlined in the scheme guidelines that an evaluation of the first year of implementation of the scheme will be carried out which would look at matters including the effectiveness of the operation of the scheme, possible improvements to the scheme for future years and expenditure under the scheme.
My Department has commenced the evaluation. 230 schools are selected to participate in the evaluation, and these schools are requested to provide a detailed return to my Department that includes information across a number of areas of the scheme such as financial details in relation to the cost of books and resources, details on the implementation of the scheme within the school, procurement, administration support and general feedback on the scheme.
I appreciate that schools will require a number of weeks to complete this information and it is a hugely important part of the process in order to assess the scheme's future requirements. I am very grateful for the assistance that these schools are providing by engaging fully in this evaluation process.
It is planned that officials from my Department will also meet with a small number of schools following completion of the evaluation returns in order to hear first hand of their experiences of year one of the scheme.
My Department will also engage with other stakeholders over the coming period to establish their views on the new scheme.