The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has criticised the complete withdrawal of supports for Traveller students as ‘transparently discriminatory’.

As part of December’s Budget, it was stated that resources for Travellers at second level be withdrawn. It was also announced that Senior Travelling Training Centres will be phased out.

It’s all a far cry from the comments  made by Seán Haughey, the Minister  of State at  the Department of Education and Skills,   about the importance of continued targeted investment in Traveller Education less than two years ago (set out at end of statement).

Speaking this afternoon, TUI President Bernie Ruane said:
“This Government seems intent on snuffing out the educational flame for Travellers as one of its final acts. One of the most vulnerable and at-risk groups in terms of school completion has been specifically targeted for select brutal treatment that can only be described as transparently discriminatory.

In the VEC sector alone, there will be a loss of over 90 teachers as a result of the withdrawal of additional teaching provision for Travellers. Those schools which strive to include students from all parts of the community have been badly hit, while those who wilfully and cynically do the opposite  by operating selective enrolment polices have not.

In one second level VEC school with 320 pupils, over 90 Traveller children are enrolled. This school is set to lose 6.5 teaching posts as a result of the announcement in the Budget. This will inevitably mean that less of this student cohort will complete the Junior Certificate and progress onto Leaving Certificate. This is nothing short of scandalous.
It is only in recent years that progress has been made in relation to the transfer of Traveller children from  primary to second level education.  Many Traveller children still do not transfer to post –primary schools and there is still a significant number of those who unfortunately leave school without completing senior cycle.   This is a rationale for increased investment  in additional educational supports for Travellers, not the irrational inequitable response of the Government in the budget to withdraw such essential supports , thus inevitably lowering the educational attainment of the Traveller Community.

Additional resources required by schools with Traveller children were an absolute necessity last year. Nothing has changed in that regard. If anything, the current economic climate heighten their importance.    A range of factors including
•             Discrimination in the settled community
•             Lack of equality of opportunity
•             Poor school attendance

conspire against such students attending and succeeding at schools. They already face an uphill task, but this has now been made inordinately more difficult by the proposed withdrawal of supports. Such supports are essential and vitally necessary in order that Traveller children who transfer to post- primary education remain in the system and obtain certification. It is not good enough that these provisions be seen as legacies of better economic times made redundant by the current climate. The support measures for Traveller children should be maintained in order that these students can attain their educational potential, even if funding has to be directed from more privileged areas of the education system.

Meanwhile, Traveller Training Centres provide students with the knowledge, skills and attitude to participate fully in their communities. They embrace lifelong learning in the most constructive way possible. There is no upper age limit on those attending, and parents attending clearly see the benefits and potential in their children’s subsequent education. We believe that their phasing out is, again, solely a budgetary issue by a dying Government.  These centres were instrumental in encouraging Traveller adults particularly those who may not have benefited from education in the past to take up opportunities for second chance and further education. Once again the weakest have been unfairly and unjustly targeted.”


Note to the editor
Speaking at a Joint North South Traveller Conference on the 11th March 2009, Minister for Lifelong Learning Sean Haughey stated that:
“Education plays a significant role in determining our life chances…Much has been achieved to improve educational outcomes for Traveller students in recent years. This achievement must be built upon and improved into the future……Building on this success will require overcoming barriers, such as improving attendance at every level, increasing transfer and retention rates, particularly at post-primary level and achieving increased progression into further and higher education.”