Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2015
536. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of the parents' and students' charter; when it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26073/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy intention is to amend Section 28 of the Education Act 1998 to require every school to have a Parent and Student Charter according to principles set down in legislation that will set a national standard. As the Deputy may be aware, section 28 is the section of the Education Act 1998 that provides for parental complaints in schools. It expresses a desirability of determining appeals and resolving grievances in the school. I am not satisfied with the current provisions of Section 28. I plan to revise it and to provide in law for a Parent and Student Charter. Changing how schools engage with, listen and respond to parent concerns will be an important part of a Charter. Providing parents with the rationale for any decision is important. If schools help parents to understand the basis for a decision parents are more likely to accept the fairness of decisions. A core objective of the Charter will be to shift away from reacting to problems only after they give rise to grievances. Instead the emphasis will be on improving the day-to-day experience students and their parents can expect from schools so that grievances do no arise at all or are resolved quickly and informally, and as a result having to resort to a formal grievance process should be much reduced. I plan to have this change introduced during the passage of the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2015.
