Focus on structures leaves pupils in confusion

Speaking at the beginning of the annual Northern Conference of the Irish National Teachers` Organisation (INTO), Mr Des McDonagh, Chairperson of Northern Committee criticised the confusion within the educational community as restructuring report follows restructuring report.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Mar 2012, 14:15 BST

Mr McDonagh stated “Education is not about structures, it is about pupils. However those who believe they know better have chosen the latter in the hope of improvements tomorrow. The recent report by NICCE gave more options for the provision of Catholic education. However, it lacked any detail on how pupils would be valued in any changed system. In addition it focused on reinforcing educational apartheid by recommending the two door approach to management; one for those academically gifted and those lesser beings who cannot make the grade.”

Mr McDonagh continued,” We will soon have the outcome of the Ministerial viability audit and the question will then be asked which report is supreme in setting the direction for educational reform . We need clear congruency between educating pupils and structures. At the minute this is clearly lacking in the overall planning process.”

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Mr McDonagh concluded “We must end this silo based planning approach. INTO is calling for a clear direction from the Minister which focuses first on the pupils in our schools and reforms the educational estate in manner which respects the individual sitting at the desk.”