Towards a Better Future

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Chapter Twelve: Conclusion Educational leadership is also important beyond the gates of the school. The constructive voice of school leaders needs to be heard more influentially in policy-making quarters, not least on the kinds of initiatives that have enhanced educational experiences in Irish schools. The new Centre for School Leadership is a welcome development in this context. It needs a strong research dimension, allied to the freedom to initiate and promote enhanced professional practice and to speak fearlessly for and with school leaders. 7. THE SCHOOL SYSTEM: EQUALITY, INCLUSION AND RIGHTS Equality, inclusion and human rights are core concepts in education. While progress has been made in these areas, research on the school system shows there are still significant inequalities arising from disadvantage linked to six sources: social class/socio-economic background; disability/SEN; ethnic diversity; religious diversity; gender; and sexual orientation. None of these issues can be addressed by the education system alone. For example, child poverty is a significant factor in poor educational outcomes. A substantial reduction in poverty requires action by Government and by all departments of state. What is needed in relation to these six areas is a serious commitment to equality, not only by government but also by the key educational interest groups – the churches, teacher unions, management bodies and parents’ organizations. All educational policy should be equality-proofed. The values and goals expressed in the Department of Education and Skills’ Statement of Strategy 2015 – 2017 and Action Plan for Education 2016 - 2019, if continuously reviewed and developed as planned, and if implemented, give grounds for optimism. Indeed, as the DES itself points out in its 2016- 2019 Action Plan, all public bodies are required to consider human rights and equality issues and, therefore, these issues are a driving force in the Department’s work. An integrated public policy approach, involving the range of government departments, will have to be a core part of the new directions. So too will be a strategy of equalityproofing all budgetary policies and initiatives. The approach of equality-proofing all school plans and initiatives will have to be adopted at school and management body levels if there is to be significant progress. The approach to policy should be research- and evidence-based and subject to on-going review. Increased investment in high-quality and quality-assured education from pre-school to higher education should be the target, especially for the most marginalized groups. 8. THE CHANGING ROLE OF THE INSPECTORATE The staffing of the Inspectorate should be increased to enable it to implement satisfactorily its extensive work agenda. As key agents in promoting reforms in teaching and learning and in the dynamics of school life, the Inspectorate needs to use discretion and prudence in nurturing the pace of change to ensure its embeddedness. The Inspectorate should act in close liaison with the Teaching Council in relation to the implementation of the Council’s teacher induction and continuing professional development policies. — 189 —
Towards a Better Future: A Review of the Irish School System 9. INITIAL TEACHER EDUCATION AND INDUCTION Policies aimed at greater collaboration between teacher education institutions need to be supported, financially and otherwise. Greater support needs to be provided for school personnel to engage fully with the teacher induction policy so that it becomes a normal part of professional engagement. Issues of teacher supply, particularly as it affects newly-qualified teachers, need greater attention. The recruitment of potential teachers from immigrant ethnic groups should be promoted. 10. FINANCING AND RESOURCING: The comparative figures and analysis provided by the OECD’s Education at a Glance illustrate that, by comparison with OECD and EU averages, Ireland’s resourcing and financing of education – in spite of the recent time of austerity – is not by any means at the lowest level among OECD and EU countries. However, the data also show that there have been serious cutbacks and that Ireland’s financing of education is in the mid-range, generally below that of more economically-developed countries. Even within the parameters of existing resources, it is important to remember (and the OECD points this out in a number of places) that different policy choices can be made. Increased investment in education will be essential as the economy recovers if the government and the DES are to achieve the targets set out in the DES Action Plan 2016 – 2019 and other targets that may be considered necessary as policy develops, particularly in relation to marginalised pupils. 11. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN TEACHING Traditionally, the professional development of teachers was not a priority area for educational policy in Ireland. Within the last two decades, that has changed considerably. The real significance of professional development is missed, however,if it is viewed as being mainly about skills and upskilling. Professional development is essentially about the betterment of teachers’ capacities to build vibrant and inclusive learning environments. Of course, this involves skills, but skills can remain mere competences unless they become purposefully at home in each teacher’s cultivation of his/her professional capabilities. The Teaching Council’s Cosán publication (March 2016) marks a welcome step in devising a framework for professional development for Ireland’s teachers. Important work remains to be done over the next few years in building that framework, not least in putting together a flexible system for accrediting valuable professional development activities undertaken by teachers. In this work, educational leaders, Education Centres, teachers’ representatives and the educational research community have a central part to play. — 190 —
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Towards a Better Future

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