Irish Education & Training System

PRESENTATION

12 June 2014

• ETBI (Est.1902) represents Ireland’s 16 ETBs.

• Recognised in statute (Education & Training Boards Act 2013) as ‘the association established to collectively represent education and training boards and promote their interests, which is recognised by the Minister for the purposes of this Act’

• .

Ireland - Population 2008

Republic of Ireland 4,350,000

Northern Ireland1,750,000All Ireland - Population

1841

8,175,000

Universities Act 1997

Education Act 1998

Education (Welfare) Act 2000

Teaching Council Acts 2001 and 2006

Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004

The Equal Status Acts 2000 and 2004

Legislative Framework

Education Act 1998 – Long TitleAn Act: (Long Title)

• To make provision in the interests of the common good for the education of every person in the state, including any person with a disability or who has other special educational needs.

• To provide generally for primary, post-primary, adult and continuing education and vocational education and training.

• To ensure that the education system is accountable to students, their parents and the state for the education provided, respects the diversity of values, beliefs, languages and traditions in Irish society and is conducted in a spirit of partnership between schools, patrons, students, parents, teachers and other school staff, the community served by the school and the state;

Education Act 1998 – Long Title (Contd.

An Act: (Long Title)• To provide for the recognition and

funding of schools and their management through boards of management.

• To provide for an inspectorate of schools.

• To provide for the role and responsibilities of principals and teachers.

• To establish the national council for curriculum and assessment (NCCA) and to make provision for it, and to provide for related matters.

Education Welfare Act 2000 – Long Title

to provide for the entitlement of every child in the state to a certain minimum education, and, for that purpose to provide for: the registration of children receiving education in

places other than recognised schools, the compulsory attendance of certain children at

recognised schools, the establishment of a body, to be known as the

National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) the coordination of its activities and those of certain other persons in so far as they relate to matters connected with school attendance,

the identification of the causes of non-attendance on the part of certain students and the adoption of measures for its prevention,

Equal Status Act 2000 – Long Title

• To promote equality and prohibit types of discrimination, harassment and related behaviour in connection with the provision of services, property and other opportunities to which the public generally or a section of the public has access,

• to provide for investigating and remedying certain discrimination and other unlawful activities,

Equal Status Act 2000 – Long Title

Prohibits discrimination on grounds of:• Gender• Marital status• Family status• Sexual orientation• Religion• Age• Disability• Race• Membership of the Traveller community

But school admissions are exempt under the Education Act, which

gives schools the right to refuse admission

based on religion, if this is to maintain the ethos

of the school. 

Teaching Council Act 20016.—The objects of

the Council shall be—

(a) to regulate the teaching profession and the professional conduct of teachers,

(b) to establish and promote the maintenance and improvement of standards of—

(i) programmes of teacher education and training,

(ii) teaching, knowledge, skill and competence of teachers in recognised primary and post-primary schools, and

(iii) professional conduct of teachers,

and

(c) to promote the continuing education and training and professional development of teachers.

S.30 Teaching Council Act • Commenced 28 January 2014• All teachers (1st & 2nd level) must be

registered with Teaching Council – to be paid out of State funds.

• Council is introducing new model for initial teacher education (ITE) which involves appropriately experienced/competent teachers.

• Teaching Council now in a position to commence using its ‘fitness to practice’ powers/function.

• Council has put in place induction & probation process for all entering teaching profession.

• Council working on making renewal of registration dependent on completion of particular kinds of CPD.

EPSEN Act 2001

Inclusive educationS2.—A child with special educational needs

shall be educated in an inclusive environment with children who do not have such needs unless the nature or degree of those needs of the child is such that to do so would be inconsistent with—

(a) the best interests of the child as determined in accordance with any assessment

carried out under this Act, or(b) the effective provision of education for children with whom the child is to be educated.

Admin. Structures – 1st 2nd Level• No major regional or local

administrative structures for primary schools and for 66% of 2nd level schools – highly centralised.

• Each school has a Board of Management and a Patron.

• Each school (except ETB 2nd level schools) deals directly with the Department of Education and Skills (finance, staffing, grants, buildings, rules and regulations, etc.)

• Only 1% of education budget goes on the central administration of the system!!!!!

• .

leadership/Management Challenges• Schools lack fit-for-purpose middle-

management structures.

• Principal expected to lead and manage everything.

• No clear route/process for developing school leaders.

• Principals (2nd level in particular) overburdened – few applications for principalships.

• Questions about capacity of boards to manage schools. Schools very complex institutions.

• Schools governed by 500+ circulars & raft of Guidelines, Procedures, etc.

Structure of Schooling

Age 6-12 years 1st – 6th classes • Nearly all 5-year-olds are at school.

• About half of 4-year-olds attend school.

• Children may not be enrolled at primary school before the age of 4.

School Year/Week/Day• Primary School (1st level) 183 days – 5 hours

40 minutes teaching per school day

• Post Primary (2nd level) 167 days – 22 hours class teaching per week – 28 hours of classes for students per week,

• Primary school pupil teacher ratio 28:1

• Post Primary school pupil teacher ratio 19:1

• Teachers now required to do up to 43 hours Supervision & Substitution per year.

• Teachers now required to do extra 33 hours annually – staff meetings, parent teacher meetings, school and subject dept. planning meetings

TYPES of Primary School Patron

Primary School (1st level)• 96% of primary schools are

denominational (church patrons) arising from the historical development of Irish primary education. See Report of Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector.

• Increasing demand for new forms of multi-denominational and non-denominational schooling, as well as for Irish language schooling. 

Struture of Post Primary EducationBroad General Curriculum incorporating

both Academic & Vocational Subjects

Junior Cycle Education: 12-15 – being reformed • 3 year programme• Terminal Examination• Broad range of subjectsSenior Cycle: Age 15-18• Transition Year (optional)

• Leaving Certificate Established OR• Leaving Cert. Vocational Programme LCVP OR• Leaving Certificate Applied LCA

• Move away from terminal exams.

• Greater focus on teacher assessment.

• Focus on Skills and on development of effective lifelong learners.

Education in Out of School Settings

Youthreach Centres• Available to those (15-20) who don’t

do well in school environment.• Some 3,000 participants • Provides combined general education,

vocational education & work experience.

• More flexible and less formal approach than schools offer.

• 70%+ proceed to further education /training or employment.

National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ)

Ireland now has a 10 level qualifications framework. This provides:• Recognition for all learning

achievements. through all education and training awards in Ireland

• A structure of levels that enables learning achievements to be measured and related

The State school examinations are included at

• Level 3 – Junior Certificate• Levels 4 and 5 – Leaving Certificate

At levels 4 and 5 there are other ‘equivalent’ type qualifications to the Leaving Certificate.

National Framework (NFQ)

F/T Students in DES Funded Institutions 10/11

First Level 509,652

Second Level 356,107Voluntary Secondary (54%) 186,622

Community/Comprehensive (12%) 54,724

16 Education Training Boards (33%) 114,761

Third Level 161,647Institutes of Technology (13) 62,285

HEA Colleges – Univ. (excl. RCSI) 89,273

Other - incl. teacher training Colleges

9,489

Total 1,027,406

Irish – Second Level Ed.• No IVET System as such.

• 2nd level Curriculum is very broad.

• all students take English, Irish Maths and 4 other subjects from: History, Geography, Business, Accounting, Economics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, French, German, Spanish,, Art, Music, Building Construction, Engineering, Agricultural Science, Design and Communication Graphics, Religious Ed. … 33 in total.

• However, curriculum offered depends on school – some have very academic curriculum; others more comprehensive curriculum.

F/T ‘Teachers’ in Institutions Funded by the DES 10/11

First Level 32,489

Second Level 26,185

Total 58,674

No of Schools Funded by DES 10/11

First Level 3,305Second Level 729Secondary 383

Community & Comprehensive 92

Vocational (VEC) 254

Total 4,034

Leaving Cert. Retention Rates 2012

No sitting Leaving Certificate 2012

57,53990.2%

Increase of 9% in 11 yearsFemales (Gap 9% in 2007) 91.8%Males 88.7%

Target 2020 (EGFSN) 90%EGFSN Target: Transfer to 3rd Level to

increase from 55% to 72% by 2020

Currently 66%+

Early School Leavers 2012

• No of early school leavers decreased by 10.6% from 13% in 2004 to 10.6% and well below EU average of 14%.

• Ireland – one of highest % of 20-24 year olds with at least second level education in EU – 87.% against EU average of 80%.

Current Issues in 2nd Level Schools• School Leadership/Management.

• No Performance Appraisal.• Too much focus on Terminal Exams• Reforming Teaching/Learning – AFL.• Junior Cycle Education Reform.• Industrial Relations Climate.• Appropriate CPD• PISA results 2009 – 2012!!!!• Student well-being – guidance &

counselling.• School Self Evaluation.• Moratorium on promotion and cutbacks.

FURTHER EDUCATION & TRAINING (FET)•Until 2013 Further Education provided by 33

Vocational Education Committees (VECS) and training was provided by the National Training & Employment Authority (FÁS).

•FE provision grew like topsy (from 80s on) – no FE sector – an amalgam of programmes initiatives.

•2013/14 VECs & FÁS (Further Education and Training – FET) amalgamated to form 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) – process will be completed in 2014.

•2013 A national Further Education & Training Authority (SOLAS) established.

•SOLAS responsibility for funding, planning and co-ordinating FET provision that is both responsive to the needs of learners and the requirements of an ever-changing economy.

ETB Further Education Provision

Further Education Provision in Nos• Adult Literacy (AL) – 56,797 (including

ESOL)

• Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) 30,000

• Community Education (CE) – 55,000

• Voc. Ed. Training Opport. Scheme (VTOS) 5,637

• Skills for Work (SfW) - 1,500

• Labour Market Activation (LMA) - 3,000

• Youthreach (ESL) - 3,313

• Prisoner Education – 1,700

• Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) 33,748

• Wide range of self financing programmes 55,000

246,000

CURRENT ISSUES IN FET• Image – parents want sons/daughters to go to

third level education – though studies in EU and US claim that by 2020 65% of jobs will be in mid to low skills.

• Poor permeability between FET & 3rd level.

• Very narrow apprenticeship system – construction & mechanical mainly – very few now in apprenticeship – see recent Review of Apprenticeship recommends a major expansion of apprenticeship in Ireland.

• Further Education courses involve insufficient real workplace learning – see recent review of further education (PLC courses).

CURRENT ISSUES IN FET (Contd. 1)• System lacks coherence – vast array of

different, separately funded, separately managed programmes – each with its own eligibility and access rules – a series of separate silos – each known by a 3 letter acronym (TLA).

• Difficult for learners & prospective learners to understand.

• Concerns about standards & quality assurance.

• Considerable duplication.• Lacks a clear connection between the

workplace & the FET provider.• Education & training – running on separate

tracks ‘til recently.

CURRENT ISSUES IN FET (Contd. 2)• Concerns about the extent to which FET

providers provide the knowledge, skills, competences & dispositions required in today & tomorrow’s workforce.

• Buildings, facilities & teaching resources for FET can be of poor quality.

• The principal FET Programme (PLC courses) part of 2nd level system – using school buildings and school models of delivery – full time courses, 9.00am to 4.00pm each day, for 30 weeks of year.

• No clear connection between national economic/industry policy & the FET provision.

• Lack of data regarding FET outcomes, progression, etc.

CURRENT ISSUES IN FET (Contd. 3)• No clear national approach to distance

learning, blended learning, recognition of prior learning (RPL).

• Lack of agreement about how to measure learner progress (in the absence of accreditation)– just numbers of participants.

• Educational levels being treated as proxies for skills.

• Now a possible overemphasis on accreditation.

CURRENT ISSUES IN FET (Contd. 4)• Lack of data regarding FET outcomes,

progression, etc.

• Little uniformity in pay & conditions for FET tutors.

• Inadequate information & guidance for learners & prospective learners.

• Moratorium on employment means those who manage/support provision not being replaced.

• No clear connectivity between national economic/industry policy & the FET provision.

CURRENT ISSUES IN FET (Contd. 5)• Many effective and/or qualified tutors paid at

the unqualified rate so not entitled to incremental salaries.

• Terms & conditions for teachers/tutors quite inflexible – probably need to use more contracted provision than permanent employees to deliver FET.

• Current crisis means introducing salary scales for ‘qualified/competent’ tutors – would negatively impact on amount of provision.

• No national approach to qualifying and continuously professionally developing teachers/tutors – see Cedefop - Competence Framework for Vet Professions - Handbook for practitioners.

THE FUTURE OF FET

SOLAS & the ETBs have a very serious

job of work to do.

• 2005 Irish workforce of 1.9 million

• Thought 950,000 needed by 2020:

• 640,000 school / college leavers & via increased work-force participation

• Immigration of some 310,000.On this basis 2020 demand for skills at the higher levels could only be met by a

programme for re-skilling and upskilling the resident workforce as

(60%) of the projected 2.4 million work force of 2020 were already in

workforce.

To Achieve the Desired Skills Profile, EGFSN (2007) Recommended the Following:• % of those aged 20-24 with NFQ level 4 or 5

qualifications to be increased to 94 % - through completion of L.C. or equivalent

• L. C. retention rate to reach 90 % by 2020.• 480,000 would need to progress up

qualifications ladder by least (1) NFQ level and a further 30,000 by at least (2) levels. This will entail the following objectives being met from now to 2020.• 70,000 workers from NFQ levels 1 & 2 »» level 3

• 9,000 workers from NFQ levels 1/2 »» levels 4/5• 250,000 workers from NFQ level 3 »» levels 4/5• 1,000 workers from NFQ level 3 »» levels 8/9/10• 140,000 workers from levels 4/5 »» levels 6/7

• 30,000 workers from levels 4/5 »» levels 8/9/10 • 4,000 workers from levels 6/7 »» levels 8/9/10

• Progression rate to 3rd level to increase from 55% to 72%

ECONOMIC CRISIS• Left Ireland with a different

problem.• Huge unemployment and

underemployment - many unemployed with little prospect of work without acquiring new skills.

• Unemployed told must upskill but State does not have money to fund enough training places.

• Annual Emigration = No leaving school each year.