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Summary: Educate Together held its Annual General
Meeting on 14th May. This is the concluding
year of the 3-year ‘proof-of-concept’
development grant negotiated in 2001 with
The Atlantic Philanthropies and places Educate
Together on the verge of a decisive move into
the mainstream of Irish education with
appropriate State funding.
Educate Together held its Annual General Meeting last Saturday at Griffeen
Valley Educate Together National School, Lucan, County Dublin. The
meeting attracted record numbers of members, guests and media interest.
Minister Mary Hanafin T.D. attended with senior officials and addressed the
meeting.
The meeting noted another year of substantial progress for Educate
Together. This is the concluding year of the three-year ‘proof-of-concept’
development grant negotiated in 2001 with The Atlantic Philanthropies and
places Educate Together on the verge of a decisive move into the
mainstream of Irish education with appropriate State funding.
In the year under review, the key areas of progress have been:
- The publication of the “Learn Together” Curriculum: the first multi-
denominational ethical education curriculum produced in Ireland for
National schools and the start of the process of its incorporation into pre-
service and in-service programmes for National School teachers
- The recommendation of the United Nations that the State promote the
development of multi-denominational schools
- The negotiated abolition of the EUR63,500 local contribution required for
new State-owned school buildings
- New schools in priority areas now being provided with accommodation by
the State from the outset.
- The opening of the first permanent building for a school operating with
the national patronage of Educate Together.
- The opening of four new Educate Together National schools and the
recognition of five more schools to open next September;
- 700 more places created in the sector this year;
- 32 new mainstream permanent teaching positions;
- Radical upgrade of the sector’s website
- Launch of the national fund-raising programme “Friends of Educate
Together”
- Publication of the first public information booklet “What is an Educate
Together National School”
- Continued progress in the provision of Board of Management and Start-
up association training
- Major progress in the planning process for new schools in areas of
housing development
- Major progress in partnership with primary management bodies, local
authorities, educational institutions, teachers unions and the Department
of Education and Science
- Full implementation of the plan for internal governance of Educate
Together with the streamlined Board of Directors and innovative “National
Forum” structure
This progress exceeds the expectations of the plans made at the start of
the 2001 development programme and is a testament to the experience,
knowledge and skill accumulated in the sector. It is also a testament to the
extent to which the development of the sector reflects and is driven by
irreversible changes in Irish society.
Resources Stretched to the Limit
In contrast, the period under review has also seen Educate Together’s
resources stretched to the limit to support its schools, two thirds of which
are still in development and without permanent accommodation. The
period has seen enormous pressure being placed on schools with
difficulties encountered with accommodation, special needs allocations and
the escalation of the burden on Principal teachers, especially those who
are teaching Principals. At the same time, demand for new multi-
denominational schools continues to increase. Educate Together is working
with individuals and groups in 30 areas throughout the country. The sector
is only able to employ a single Development Officer and even this post is
under threat due to the failure of the Department to provide realistic
funding.
In motions passed at the meeting, numerous delegates highlighted the
failure of the Department to address the needs of Developing Schools.
Most State grants are based on a school’s enrolment of the previous year.
This means that a growing school is always deprived of grants for the
increase in its numbers with only contracting schools benefiting from the
system. The recent announcement that the new allocation of resource
teachers for children with special will be based on September 2003
enrolments caused consternation and anger at the meeting.
Funding Crisis
This Annual General Meeting sees Educate Together in the grip of a funding
crisis which can only be resolved if the sector achieves appropriate State
funding. The meeting increased the membership subscription and
committed itself to an intensive campaign to highlight the issue with all
political parties. It also appealed for increased private fund-raising.
The entire effort to develop a multi-denominational sector is based on a
State grant of EUR39,800 which amounts to 10% of current expenditure
which is in any case, significantly below the level required to adequately
support the sector. Educate Together has pointed out to government the
substantial reasons for providing a minimum level of grant aid of
EUR500,000.
These can be summarised as:
There is a Constitutional imperative to provide choice for families who do
not do not wish to educate their children in a denominational school and a
significant legal liability to the State if this alternative is not available to
them. (Article 42.1.3)
There is an overwhelming social argument consistent with all parties’
policies to ensure that future generations are educated in an atmosphere
of equality and respect.
Ireland’s obligations as a member of the EU demand that such school
choices should be made available to facilitate the free movement of labour.
The UN has recently made a recommendation to the State to promote such
school developments.
Ireland’s objective to attract inward movement of high value labour from
other countries and cultures necessitates the development of such school
facilities for families of diverse religious backgrounds.
Support for this movement will show that our State is forward-looking,
modern and responsibly planning for the future of Irish society.
The organisation making the claim has exemplary standards of
accountability and transparency in its internal governance, is a registered
charity and a company bound to provide public audited accounts.
The State already provides extensive supports for other school bodies
such as the Gaelscoil movement (>EUR400,000 per annum via Foras na
Gaeilge) and the denominational patron bodies whose religious teacher
training programmes are fully funded by the State (>EUR10million p.a.)
Many parents now see Educate Together schools providing a learning
space of equality and respect that mirrors their aspiration for the future of
our society. Nowadays, they have a legitimate expectation that such a
choice should be available to them when they consider school options for
their children.
Negotiations with the Department of Education and Science on this issue
are on-going. The Board of Directors of Educate Together will meet on 28th
May to decide on future staff levels and to consider proposals for further
campaigning to advance this claim.