In the old Ireland, rich and poor were educated in the same classroom. Now many better-off parents are opting out of the free second-level school sector, writes Seán Flynn, Education Editor
If you pick up a copy of Who's Who in Ireland and examine where our leading politicians and civil servants went to school, you will be pleasantly surprised. The vast majority were educated in the State sector.
Many went to well-regarded schools such as O'Connell's, Synge Street and Brunswick Street. Ten years from now, it seems unlikely that this trend will still be evident. Education at second-level is becoming much more divisive.
A growing army of better-off parents are opting out of free secondary education and placing their children in private fee-paying schools and/or expensive grind schools.
The economic boom of the 1990s has been the main catalyst for change. The average parent suddenly found that they could afford private education. For many better-off parents, the fees of over €3,000 per year for private education is relatively small beer.
The abolition of college fees has also helped. Many parents have just pocketed the saving and used it to fund private education.
One principal of a hugely regarded public school in south Dublin says he now spends much of the year drumming up enrolment figures by visiting local primary schools.
Last year, he told The Irish Times: "We have to go to every primary school in the area promoting ourselves in order to get the students. But the fee-paying schools often do not even bother to turn up, knowing they will get the students anyway."
The irony is that many State schools are now less crowded and better equipped than their private counterparts - but they are still operating way below capacity.
Even schools which are widely acknowledged to be among the best in Dublin are suffering. These include: Crumlin CBS (300 unfilled places); Old Bawn Community School, Tallaght (200); The Donahies Community School (400); Ballinteer Community School (400); Holy Child, Sallynoggin (500); Oatlands College, Stillorgan (100); Presentation, Glastule (100); Árd Scoil De La Salle, Raheny (200); and St Joseph's, Fairview (300).
In many of these schools, a falling youth population is also a significant factor. But, for all that, the falling population appears to be having no impact on the 37 private fee-paying schools in Dublin.
The situation appears to be deteriorating for the State sector. Some principals complain that fee-paying schools are "robbing" them of their best students. One said: "Entrance exams may be gone, but the fee-paying schools still find unsubtle ways to pick out the best. They are taking our best students and making the school less attractive for other parents."
The question for the Minister for Education, Mr Dempsey, is whether the €77.5 million spent by the State supporting the private fee-paying schools can now be justified. About €68 million of this is spent on teachers' salaries.
This kind of State support means that private education in the Republic is relatively inexpensive - compared to the likes of Britain, where parents can pay over €20,000 per year.
Should parents in these schools - rather than the general taxpayer - foot the bill for teachers in these schools? Mr Dempsey says he has no plans to change the system. But the issue - and the questions it raises about equality in education - is unlikely to go away.
