The Department of Education is suddenly adopting a much tougher approach to fee-paying schools writes SEÁN FLYNN, Education Editor
Traditionally, the Department of Education has been protective of fee-paying schools, doling out up to €100 million in annual State support – including the salaries of some 1,500 teachers – without too many questions. Now, in a very significant move, the Government has begun to differentiate between supports for State schools and those for private education.
Last year’s Budget increased class size for all second-level schools, but the cut was deeper for the fee-paying sector. State-run schools are entitled to one teacher for every 19 pupils; in fee-paying schools, however, the pupil/ teacher ratio was increased to 1:20. Support has also been reduced for some fee-paying schools, notably Protestant schools.
The Department of Finance wants to go further. It backed a 50 per cent cut in State support for fee-paying schools in its submission to the McCarthy group earlier this year.
It says savings of €47 million could be achieved by significantly increasing the staffing schedule for fee-paying schools to the level where one teacher was only provided for every 38 students.
Why are official attitudes changing? The pressure on the public finances in which ministers are casting around for any possible saving is clearly the main imperative. But there are other factors.
In recent years, some fee-paying schools have been accused of cherry-picking students and operating restrictive admission policies. This has not helped their case with some influential figures in the Department.
There has also been external pressure for change.
The influential Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) argues that State funding should be withdrawn from schools with restrictive admission policies and those practising what it calls “educational apartheid”.
Labour spokesman on education Ruairí Quinn has also raised awkward questions, asking why taxpayers are subsidising an exclusive education for the most able and wealthy.
All fee-paying schools should have open enrolment policies, he has said, “considering how much money these private schools get from the taxpayer”.
