I thank the House for the honour and opportunity to discuss an issue that we all recognise as central to the economic, social and cultural wellbeing of our children, our fellow citizens and our country as a whole — the subject of education. During my time as Minister for Education, I have come to appreciate at first hand the sheer scale and complexity of our education system, and the complex ways in which the system is geared towards meeting the needs of our society.
There is, of course, a heavy responsibility on the Government to ensure that available resources within the educational system are properly aligned towards meeting the needs of students and society. Change, renewal and reform must be ongoing. There must be a continual input of energy on the part of all of the education partners if the system is to retain its relevance and if young people are to be properly equipped with the capabilities and skills they need to enhance their own personal development and to meet the needs of society in all its rich dimensions.
By mobilising all the talents and energies within our education system, I am confident that we can bring about meaningful changes for the betterment of all our people and students of all ages in a lifetime of learning. At this time of unprecedented change in our education system, it is worthwhile to take stock of the positive achievements to date. This year saw the publication of Charting our Education Future, the Government's White Paper on Education, in which principles and priorities are clearly identified and in which the agenda for further progress in reforming our education system is laid out. Our priority — increasing the standards of education available to all sections of the community — underlies all the programmes now under way in my Department.
It is appropriate to begin our discussion with the primary education sector which is the bedrock upon which the education system is built. The primary sector plays a major role in determining children's life chances and the benefits derived at this level are key determinants of the extent to which the individual citizen participates in society throughout her or his lifetime.
Since my appointment as Minister for Education, I have made significant improvements in the primary school sector, giving it a new focus in line with the principles set out in the White Paper. Among the most important achievements are improved pupil-teacher ratios, significant reductions in maximum class size guidelines, increased capitation grants, increased grants for school books to assist needy pupils and a massive investment in capital for the improvement of school buildings. However, there can never be complacency about the current state of our education system. Change and renewal must be ongoing and the White Paper lists several priorities for further progress in the primary sector.
There is the new expanded role for parents which incorporates in a real way the constitutional position of parents as the first educators of their children. A renewed emphasis will be placed on literacy and numeracy in primary schools to help tackle all serious numeracy and literacy problems in early primary education. The revised primary school curriculum being prepared by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, building on the significant strengths of the existing curriculum, will put in place a rich and diversified programme to provide children with the widest possible range of educational experiences.
Since my appointment as Minister for Education I have attached a particular priority to addressing the needs of children with disabilities and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. The report of the special education review committee in 1993 represented the most comprehensive examination of the special needs area ever undertaken in this State. The findings of that committee provide a comprehensive agenda for the future. While the measures set out in the While Paper in relation to special educational needs provide the framework for the future, significant progress has already been made on many fronts. This includes significant increases in the number of special resource teachers and the rates of special capitation funding to special schools and schools with special classes.
We all know that the earlier the intervention to address the educational effects of disadvantage the better. I have initiated the Early Start pre-school project as a pilot project in selected areas of disadvantage to introduce young children to an educational programme which will enhance their overall development, prevent school failure and offset the effects of social disadvantage. The Early Start service is now available in 40 locations. The project is a well researched and high quality intervention which will help the Government in its drive to combat educational disadvantage.
Arrangements are in place for the introduction of a programme of relationships and sexuality education in all our schools. A number of groups, representative of the partners in education, are currently working on the details of the implementation of this programme.
The education system is currently undergoing major reform, involving extensive curriculum development and restructuring. Bringing these initiatives to fruition depends on supporting teachers in managing change and facilitating their professional and personal development. The White Paper lays significant emphasis upon providing appropriate in-career training and development. The Government is committed to an expenditure of almost £40 million on in-career training over the period 1994-99 for first and second level teachers, and special training programmes will also be developed for parents and boards of management.
Education objectives at second level seek to promote the right of each student to full and equal access, participation and benefit from educational provision, in accordance with each student's ability. The junior cycle programme seeks to extend and deepen the quality of students' educational experience. The availability of the option of a three year senior cycle for all students entering second level education from 1994 onwards and the restructuring of the senior cycle to cater more effectively for the needs and aptitudes of all students provide the framework for achieving this objective.
Among the achievements made in providing for high quality second level education over the past few years are increased per capita school grants; special grants for pupils in special classes; increased provision for the free book scheme for needy pupils; major improvements in pupil teacher ratios and equipment grants for disabled pupils. Major reforms are underway in the second level curriculum, including the restructuring of the senior cycle.
In keeping with the other developments taking place, such as the greater devolution of authority to boards of management and education boards and the increased professionalism of school staff, a new system of inspection is being developed by my Department's inspectorate. Inspection in the future will focus on the work and management of the school in its totality. The underlying purpose will be to improve the quality of education in schools and, in addition, to provide appropriate information to the community served by the school, to school management and to the regional and central authorities.
As promised in the White Paper, I propose to bring forward legislation dealing with education boards as a matter of priority. This will put administration of the education system at primary and second levels on a modern footing.
The present system for central administration of schools originates from a time when national schools were first established in the last century. Given the scale, complexity and maturity of our education system in the 1990s, there is now the opportunity of looking afresh at the administrative arrangements with a view to optimising the flexibility, quality, relevance and accountability of the educational system. The demands for increased accountability from the system, deriving from the foregoing considerations, and the commensurate increase in resources devoted to education, are placing severe strains on an administrative model designed for another time, when education was but a modest undertaking for the State.
The potential benefits of the regionalised approach to education provision have come to be recognised by many of the major partners in education. A round table discussion among all the partners in education advanced the process of ensuring that education boards will contribute to better educational provision across the following broad areas: enhancing quality of education; facilitating an effective partnership among all those with an interest in education at national, regional and community level; realising national objectives in education, such as equality of access and relevance to the needs of the community in an effective way; eliciting a broad level of acceptance from those within the regional remit of the board and reflecting the diversity of the school system; promoting transparency in education, particularly in regard to resource allocation; and enhancing public accountability.
In addition, education boards will contribute in a crucial way to the development of the further and adult education sectors. These sectors are now recognised, nationally and internationally, as key contributors to social and economic well being.
I am now developing the education board proposals as a matter of priority, in accordance with the policy direction set out in the White Paper, so that the benefits of the reformed arrangements can be felt at the earliest possible date. I look forward to the continued co-operation of all the partners in education in progressing this important initiative.
The establishment of Teastas, the Irish National Certification Authority, represents a major commitment by the Government in its efforts to ensure a coherent framework which will facilitate access and progression by individuals through a structured system of graded educational and training qualifications. It will allow progression from basic attainments and qualifications, right up to advanced degree level.
The establishment of Teastas is evidence of the Government's commitment to the facilitation of life long learning. Life long learning should focus on the learning opportunities and processes of the individual. The European year for life long learning to which Ireland, during its Presidency in particular, will make a significant contribution, will aim to mobilise all the forces which will contribute to providing our citizens with the education and training to help them find their place in the new world that is evolving and to forge their individual destinies during the course of their lives.
The past 30 years has seen an extraordinary growth in higher education in Ireland. Thirty years ago only one student in ten proceeded to higher education, then provided solely by the university sector. Now, by contrast, approximately two thirds of leaving certificate students proceed to further or higher education. Of these, one third enter the universities, one third enter the regional technical colleges and one third enter further education, mainly post leaving certificate courses.
I have taken a number of steps since coming into office to provide more places, more buildings and more facilities in all third level institutions. Thus, funding of the universities since I became Minister for Education has increased from £137 million to £179 million, an increase of more than one third in three years. Even more dramatic has been the increase in grants for the running of the regional technical colleges, up from £86 to £132 million since I came into office, an increase of more than one half.
This increased funding has facilitated a major expansion in the number of third level places. In the universities, since I came into office, the numbers have risen from 48,000 to some 56,4000, an increase of more than one sixth. In the regional technical colleges, the numbers have increased from 32,000 to some 37,800, again an increase of more than one sixth. In the last three years alone, some 14,200 additional third level places have become available to our young people.
In addition to these places, I announced in mid-September the provision of a further 6,200 places in the university sector over the next five years. These places will be allocated among the seven universities and will be funded by a combination of public and private funding. This is the first time that public and private funding has been used in this way and it marks a new departure for third level capital development.
Increases in recurrent grants have been matched by increases in capital funding. Under the 1994-99 national plan, more than £120 million, at 1994 prices, will be spent on improved facilities and buildings in third level institutions. The programme is targeted at 23 separate third level institutions and I am pleased to say that a number of the new projects, involving an expenditure of approximately £36 million in 1995, have already been commenced and others are at an advanced stage of planning.
The year 1995 marks a watershed in the development of higher education. For the first time, we join the mainstream of European education in having higher education available to full-time undergraduates without payment of tuition fees. This is an achievement of extraordinary significance and brings higher education centre stage. It demonstrates in the clearest way possible that higher education is for all, without barriers of income, social status or family background.
The abolition of full-time undergraduate tuition fees has been achieved at minimal cost to the State by linking it with abolition of covenant tax relief. The highly regressive covenant tax relief which meant that high earners gained more has been replaced by the abolition of tuition fees.
In addressing the issue of legislation for universities the White Paper notes the conclusion of the report on the National Education Convention that "third level institutions are difficult to manage and require constant reappraisal of management structures and functions". It also refers to the commitment to a broadening of the composition of the governing bodies of universities which arises from the Government's decisions on the implementation of the Culliton and Moriarty reports. The aim of this broadening of representation is to provide wider representation from society and the economy and for staff and students.
There is also a commitment to gender balance in the composition of the governing bodies. The White Paper makes a commitment to bring forward legislation concerning the composition of governing bodies, the restructuring of the National University of Ireland and more comprehensive provisions relating to autonomy and accountability, diversity and enhancement of developmental roles.
There are no proposals to interfere with the academic freedom of the universities. On the contrary, the legislation as proposed would strengthen academic freedom by giving specific statutory expression to it in the principles underlying the legislation. The principle of proper institutional autonomy is also given expression in the principles. The universities would be free to run their affairs as they see fit, within broad budgetary and staffing constraints.
The Department has engaged in extensive consultation with the university heads, in their personal capacities, in preparing the draft Universities Bill. Several potential areas of disagreement have been resolved and this aspect of the consultative process is not yet complete. This will be followed by the publication of a position paper.
I also established the steering committee on the future development of higher education to advise me in relation to the development of the sector well into the next century. I have secured Government approval for a joint public and private sector funded capital programme to provide an additional 6,200 places over the next five years.
Ireland's development is now linked in an integral way with the development of Europe. This poses no threat to our national identity. Rather, it offers significant opportunities for growth and development in the broader European context. In the education sector, Ireland's commitment to the European ideal is manifested in its active participation in a wide range of European education programmes and its development partnership with the European Union, through the Structural Funds, designed to promote economic and social development. The Community Support Framework, through the operational programmes for human resources development, tourism, industrial development and local, urban and rural development, provides for the highest ever commitment to multi-annual funding in the education sector — over £1,500 million between 1995 and 1999.
I have touched on a number of important areas but time does not allow the in-depth treatment which each topic requires. Indeed, each topic could be the subject of a full debate in itself, as indeed could other topics which I have only referred to briefly.
As Minister for Education, my record demonstrates a commitment to partnership and consensus-seeking in the formulation and implementation of education policy. The White Paper sets out key principles which should underpin policy. I am happy to submit my policy to the test of these principles — equality, quality, pluralism, partnership and accountability. I thank Members for their attention and look forward to the debate.
