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4PREPARINGTHE COLLEGE/CENTRE/PROGRAMME/EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION4.1 PREPARING POLICIESAND PROCEDURESIn terms of promoting equality in education, equality objectivesneed to be identified and included in the development plan of theeducational institution and its admission policies should ensure nostudent is denied a place in the educational institution under the ninegrounds 30 of the Equal Status Act, 2000. Educational institutionsalso require codes of behaviour, which explicitly names the ninegrounds and prohibits harassment/sexual harassment. Policies andprocedures also need to be incorporated within the code to effectivelydeal with harassment for the entire body of personnel and students inthe educational institution. According to the Equality Authority/DES,these procedures should include the following steps:1. Identify actions to ensure harassment does notoccur and steps that will be taken if it does occur(grievance procedure);2. Ensure all members of the educational institutioncommunity are aware of the code of behaviour;3. Build an anti-harassment culture through training for staff;4. Implement proper procedures when incidents do occur toprevent future harassment;5. Prepare codes of behaviour in consultation with teachers,principals and learners.4.2 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ANDSCIENCE/EQUALITY AUTHORITY:SCHOOLS AND THE EQUAL STATUSACT (2003)The Department of Education and Science/Equality Authoritypublication Schools and the Equal Status Act 31 offers some adviceon the challenges that can be encountered in striving to create aninclusive educational institution and how these challenges can bemet. IVEA has taken this advice on board and presents an adaptedform of the advice in the boxes that follow.Challenges in attaining the inclusive educational institutionThere are a number of significant challenges to attaining theinclusive educational institution. Three key challengescan be identified:(1) Inclusion for all across the nine groundsOne of the challenges is inclusion for all across the nine groundsin the mainstream provision of education. Inclusion in mainstreameducation involves not only issues of access and participation, butalso of achieving outcomes in terms of education credentials andpersonal development. Segregation remains an experience ongrounds of gender, religion, disability, and ethnicity. Issues that thisraises include access to educational institutions, course take-up, noncompletionand practical supports for mainstreaming.(2) Accommodating diversityAccommodating diversity presents a second challenge. Differencesneed to be acknowledged and valued. In order for that to happen,they will need to be understood. The inclusive educational institutionwill take account of the specific needs of all, will assess the impact ofdecisions on all and will create a positive environment for all, acrossthe nine grounds 32 .(3) Helping learners to develop their ideas and valuesA third challenge lies in the role that educational institutions havein helping learners develop their ideas and values. This is donedirectly through what is taught and indirectly through the educationalinstitution’s ethos and culture.The information that is given to learners about different groups insociety, including those who experience inequality and discrimination,is important in this regard. Educational institutions have a role inhelping students, including those from minorities and disadvantagedgroups, to learn about themselves and their differences from others ina way that is positive and affirming of diverse identities. Educationalinstitutions can also play an important role in helping students tounderstand the causes of inequality and empowering them to opposethese inequalities.30These grounds are gender, marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, race and membership of the Traveller Community.31Department of Education and Science/Equality Authority, Dublin: 2003.32Refer to footnote 30.19