New convention to provide ‘once-in-a-generation' chance to shape Irish education, says Minister
Helen McEntee said the convention will provide a 'once-in-a-generation opportunity' for children, young people, parents, educators and wider society to help shape Ireland's education system for decades to come.
The convention's work will inform a new long-term strategy for education in Ireland.
It is more than 30 years since the last national education convention issued its report in 1994, which led to the landmark Education Act and an overhaul of the administrative structures of primary and second-level education.
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Prof Anne Looney, the executive dean of the Institute of Education at Dublin City University (DCU), has been appointed as chair of the convention.
The convention will focus mainly on primary and post-primary education but will include the transitions children make from early childhood education to primary and later from post-primary to further and higher education.
The various engagements are also due to facilitate discussions on the learners' experiences, including those of education in early childhood and primary and post-primary education.
The convention's agenda will be approved by Government next year following a national conversation and consultation involving the public, early childhood education and school communities and other stakeholders, the Department of Education said.
'This conversation will encompass comprehensive engagement with the public at school community and at regional level and will feed into the agenda for the convention,' it said.
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A national convention more than 30 years ago changed Irish education. What lessons are there for today?
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Ms McEntee said the education system has been the driving force of Ireland's social and economic success and, to 'continue to thrive in a changing environment, it is essential that our education system is set up to enable everyone to realise their potential'.
The Fine Gael TD added that Ireland has achieved 'considerable academic success', in particular in relation to reading, 'where we are ranked as the best in the world'.
'I want to ensure that we can deliver a world-class education system which breaks down barriers and ensures every child can achieve their full potential,' she said.
'In particular, supporting children with special educational needs, tackling educational disadvantage, reducing unacceptably high levels of absenteeism, supporting our teachers and school communities, and reforming our curriculum is central to delivering this vision.'
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