The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has welcomed today’s announcement of the provision of additional teaching hours to schools to provide support to students who are at increased risk of learning loss and/or risk of early school leaving as a result of COVID-19 disruption.
However, the union has highlighted that existing funding for the Irish education system is already at an extremely low level by international standards and that significant, additional targeted investment will be required to help the most vulnerable students in our schools.
Speaking today, TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie said:
‘We welcome today’s announcement as a starting point in addressing the situation of those students who are most at risk as a result of the many challenges posed by COVID-19. However, it is important to highlight that significant further targeted investment will be required in the next Budget and in the years ahead to assist the most vulnerable students in the education system, as successive governments have failed to match the commitment of Irish educators and students with the appropriate funding that the education system so desperately requires.
The latest OECD figures show that of the countries for which figures are provided, only three spend a lower proportion of national wealth on education than Ireland’s (3.4%). At second level, the situation is even worse again with Ireland’s spend (1.1%) the lowest of the 36 countries for which figures are provided, trailing unacceptably far behind the OECD and European averages (both 1.9%).’