TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin today stated:

“International mathematics and science comparisons show the fantastic levels our teachers and students have reached. These achievements were attained despite critically low levels of investment and a lack of Departmental commitment to new syllabus implementation and improvement of school ICT and laboratory facilities.

The country’s current economic predicament has been well documented, but there is a genuine fear among many of the country’s educators that as expenditure in recent more prosperous times was significantly below that of other OECD countries, future comparison with third world education systems might be more apt.

The recent reduction in funding to the Schools Completion Programme set a shocking precedent as far as TUI is concerned, particularly while the more privileged in society continue to have their economically selective, fee paying schools subsidised by taxpayers.

For a small financial rebate the Department jeopardised the future of scores of vulnerable young people around the country and effectively contributed to the problem of early school leaving. It remains a simply unfathomable move.

Neither is it fair that the different sectors of education – primary, second level, third and fourth level should have to compete for a bigger share of the available resources. Funding to all sectors should be increased to a level that allows the provision of the world class education system the country deserves. 

If the Budget does not provide the adequate resources to maintain and grow our education system the losers will be all of us. The strongest industries of the type that this country needs to prosper in the knowledge society need a well-educated workforce. Individuals need qualifications to enable them to cope with the changing needs of employment.

In the past, TUI has suggested the concept of a corporate levy payable on repatriated profits by the sector of industry which has benefited most from our education system through highly qualified graduates in recent years.

Another idea TUI would support is be the sponsoring of some science and ICT facilities by corporations within those industries on an equitable basis.

It is important to stress that State funding would be preferable to any such option, but the Government has a duty to be innovative when circumstances demand extraordinary measures.  

It is clear that successive Governments failed to secure a world class education system when Exchequer funding permitted it. However, a deficit in funding cannot be used as an excuse to asset strip the future of the country. “