Senator Pearse Doherty - Education.
Published: 1 March, 2008
Seanadoir Pearse Doherty ag caint ar son ruin 154 maidir leis na Gaelscoileanna agus an Tumoideachas.
Ba mhaith liom obair Caitríona Ruane a mholadh anseo agus sna sé chontae. In ainneoin na droch-ionsaithe ar an Ghaeilge ag Aontachtoirí sna sé chontae agus iadsan ag diúltú Acht na Gaeilge, tá sólathar ansin le haghaidh an Béarla a chur siar go dtí an chéad rang i nGaelscoileanna, rud d'arbh ainm tumoideachas.
Ba mhaith liom tacaíocht láidir a thabairt do Gaelscoileanna agus iadsan
ag éilimh an t Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíochta stad a chur lena ionsaithe ar tumoideachas. Táim ag caint faoin Ciorclán a cur deireadh leis an luath-thumoideachas i ngaelscoileanna trí iachall a chur orthu an Béarla a mhúineadh ón dara théarma sna naíonáin shóisir.
Ta Seo déanta I gcoinne fianaise atá ar fáil go náisiúnta agus go hidirnáisiúnta. Chomh maith le sin dhruid an t-Aire a shúíl ar an chomhairle ón National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.
Táispeanann fianaise go mbíonn torthaí iontach ag páistí bhunscoile a úsáideann tumoideachas i nGaeilge agus i mBéarla.
Tá an tAire Hanafin ag athrú rud éigín nach bhfuil briste.
Ímpim ar an Aire go dtarraingeofaí siar an cioclán láithreach
Education is essential to the ideals of equality which we in Sinn Fein have. We believe that the Irish education system can be an essential instrument for the building of an Ireland of equals.
Equality of opportunity, access and provision is a basic entitlement.The ability for learners to achieve their full potential by having access to the levels of curriculum, institutions and type of teaching and learning best suited to deliver such success is a fundamental right. Individuals should be able to do so at any age and stage of their lives.
The striking fact about our education system is the lack of state funding. The underinvestment in education by the 26 county government, particulary in the primary sector is appalling.
Many classrooms in this state are overcrowded, we in fact have the second highest class sizes in Europe. The government have failed spectacularly to deliver lower class sizes. We in Sinn Fein have been making the call to drastically reduce class sizes for the past 6 years, as we believe the positive benefits of smaller classes make them an absolute necessity and crucial to teaching and learning.
It is not uncommon for children to be permanently taught in run-down damp prefabs, some even rat-infested. This is a result of the Government failing to modernise and construct school buildings and not planning to ensure that in all developments adequate facilities are provided for. A significant number of schools have inadequate PE facilities and libraries.
Thousands of schoolchildren go to school hungry on a daily basis as the government have not introduced a universal free school breakfast and meal scheme. Parents continue to pick up the tab with costly schoolbooks, instead of the government introducing a state-wide school book rental scheme.
Educational apartheid still exists with the majority of students from wealthy backgrounds progressing onto third level with only one in five from poorer backgrounds doing so.
Free education in this state is nothing more than a myth.
And the same goes for third level education as well. The recently published Student Support Bill which deals with student grants, while a huge improvement to the current system merely scratches the surface of the problem.
While simplifying the grants system by placing it on a unified level it has failed to address some of the key issues facing students in third level education.
Such as the amounts paid out in grants which are currently far below what someone would need to support themselves taking into account proper housing, transport and other general living expenses. It fails to tackle the problem of the often huge cost of course equipment and childcare - something which too often represents a major barrier to access and participation, particulary for mature students, lower income groups and single parents.
Unless these issues are taken on board there is nothing in the Bill which will be of any actual benefit to students applying for grants in its current state.
Education is crucial to society and equality should be central to education. However inequality and under-funding in this state is rife.
Until this problem is rectified we in Sinn Fein will continue to campaign and demand free and equal education for all, the length and breadth of this island.
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