Latest OECD report endorses work of Irish teachers and lecturers

By piofficer, Thursday, 15th September 2016 | 0 comments

The latest OECD international indicators endorse the work of Irish educators and make clear that second level teachers in Ireland work longer hours than their international counterparts.

The Education At A Glance 2016 report once again shows that a high proportion of 15 to 19 year-olds remain in education.

The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has said that findings on salary within the report are potentially misleading as they are based upon those teachers fortunate enough to have full-hour contracts. Up to half of second level teachers under 35 work less than full hours.

Speaking this morning, TUI President Joanne Irwin drew attention to some of the report’s key findings.

Teaching hours and instruction time

‘The report shows that, at 735 hours, second level teachers in Irish schools teach far above the OECD average across second level of 669 hours and the European average of 642 hours. Finland, France, Germany, Norway and Denmark are among the European countries with lower number of teaching hours.

Again, at 935 hours, compulsory instruction time per second level student in Ireland is far higher than the OECD average of 915 hours and European average of 895 hours.

Participation in education

That 95% of those between the ages of 15 and 19 remain in education is testament to students, their families and the dedication of Irish teachers in an education system that has been severely damaged by austerity cutbacks.

However, of concern is the high percentage (16.2%) of 15 to 29 year-olds neither employed nor in education or training in Ireland, which is above the OECD average of 14.6%. More options are required for this cohort. As a starting point, the artificial cap on student numbers in Post Leaving Cert Courses (PLC) in the Further Education sector must be removed.

High degree of third level attainment

The high percentage of 25-64 year olds (43%) who have attained tertiary education is significant. It is a tribute to the work of lecturers who have had to deal with the unacceptable effects of cuts in funding and staffing at a time of a steep rise in student numbers. The ratio of students to teaching staff at third level in Ireland is 20:1, which is far above the OECD and European average of 17:1. Meanwhile, expenditure at third level in Ireland stands at just 1.2% of GDP, compared to the OECD average of 1.6%.  

Other findings

Salary figures within the report are potentially misleading as they are based on a contract of full hours, yet up to half of Irish second level teachers under 35 have contracts of less than full hours. TUI is confident that recent gains negotiated by the union will tackle this unacceptable culture of low hour contracts.

Another finding shows that the annual expenditure per student at second level and in third level relative to primary education is considerably less than the OECD average.

Report timely ahead of next month’s Budget

The report affirms good health, longer life expectancy and better labour market outcomes among those who have high educational attainment.

Quite clearly, investment in education pays a huge dividend in personal, educational, health and societal terms. Education At A Glance 2016 makes a compelling case for education funding be enhanced in next month’s Budget.’

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