The Department of Education is working on a plan to promote better understanding of Traveller and Roma identity in schools, an Oireachtas committee has heard.
The committee also heard 15 link workers will be employed in areas with high enrolment of Travellers and Roma children to encourage better communication between schools, children and their parents.
These link workers will be “very much rooted in the community” and will act as culturally sensitive mediators, said Grainne Cullen, principal officer at the Department of Education and Youth.
Two national co-ordinators have already been appointed, the Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community heard.
This policy is modelled on the Supporting Travellers and Roma (STAR) programme, piloted in schools between 2019 and 2024.
[ Greater Traveller representation needed in Irish politics, says UN committeeOpens in new window ]
Latest figures from the department say 31.4 per cent of Traveller children sit the Leaving Certificate, compared to the national average of 91.7 per cent. Traveller and Roma children are also much more likely than non-Travellers to be on a reduced school hours programme.
Social Democrat TD Jen Cummins said that in her experience from a recent visit to the Ballyfermot Traveller Action Project, motivating children on reduced hours to go to school is difficult.
“There is nothing less motivating for a child than to get up, get ready and go to school for only an hour,” she said. “We must try harder.”
The department said it was changing the way schools report reduced school hours and was engaging with the Traveller and Roma community to develop a national campaign to tackle issues of attendance.
Among the other policies contained in the strategy is a three-strand approach to respecting and promoting understanding of Traveller identity in schools.
Ms Cullen spoke about educating student teachers about Traveller history and culture, providing opportunities and resources for professional learning, and including Traveller histories in the school curriculum.
The department drew particular attention to their new video resource for teachers produced by education specialist Dr Hannagh McGinley.
Cliodhna O’Neill, assistant secretary general at the Department of Education, said the “work is essential to promoting understanding, respect and pride in Traveller culture among all students”.
Ms O’Neill said the department understood how important it was for young people to have a visual representation of their culture.
This decision received positive feedback from the committee, with Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis saying this was “very worthwhile”.
Members of the committee agreed the department should maintain a focus on eliminating intergenerational barriers to education, such as through adult literacy initiatives.
