Parents pay €54m to plug holes in finances of primary schools - report

Parents are paying more than twice as much as previously thought to plug holes in primary school finances in the form of voluntary contributions, charges and fundraising, a financial review of the sector indicates.

An analysis of the financial accounts of more than 400 primary schools across the free education sector indicates that parents paid about €54 million in 2020/21 to schools, according to a report by accounting firm Grant Thornton.

This is much greater than Department of Education data, which states that both primary and secondary schools received €28 million in voluntary contributions.

Official figures, however, exclude money paid by parents in fundraising and school charges for expense such as photocopying and art materials.

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The Catholic Primary School Management Association (CPSMA), which commissioned the report, said it highlighted the extent to which schools need “immediate help”.

While Government officials say a landmark budget last year provided record investment, including a “once-off” 40 per cent increase in capitation payments to meet rising energy costs, school representatives say the sector remains chronically underfunded.

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Seamus Mulconry, the CPSMA’s general secretary, said: “This report just goes to show the importance of the bank of mum and dad in propping up the system. This is a system that needs immediate investment. If it hadn’t been for increases last year, schools would be in an even worse position.”

The report examined the financial accounts for 423 schools, or 13 per cent of the primary sector. Among its findings were that:

• Almost half (48 per cent) of primary schools surveyed were running deficits, with the average between €10,600-€35,600;
• Parental contributions from schools surveyed amounted to €3.5 million, or an estimated €54 million nationally;
• Income generated from fundraising or parents accounted for up to 7 per cent of total school income.

Hazel McWey, principal of Ballinabranna National School, Co Carlow, said her 184-pupil school was struggling to cover everyday heating and lighting costs and had to go without new teaching and learning resources.

“It keeps you up at night,” she said. “You constantly worry. I want to lead teaching and learning at the school, and not have to worry about putting oil in the tank or paying the electricity bill.”

Minister for Education Norma Foley has said additional resources have been made available to schools, including the delivery of thousands of extra teaching and special needs assistant posts, enhanced supports for school leadership, improved staffing levels and free schoolbooks in primary schools.

Last year the budget also included €90 million “one-off” additional funding to support school running costs, which equated to an increase in school capitation rates.

Mr Mulconry, however, said these increases were swallowed up by hikes in energy costs, IT expenses, insurance and other expenses.

“What people need to realise is that schools are like small businesses. They have massive running costs, but we have never recovered since the spending cuts imposed during the austerity era,” he said.

Primary school managers want last year’s “one-off” measures to be extended into the coming year, at the least, along with greater certainty over the level of grants being paid.