DRUGS, bullying, fees, discipline, dyslexia, regional boards and school transport are among the issues that will feature at this year's National Parents' Council (Post Primary) conference.
Parents from around the State will meet in Cork over three days, starting on April 25th, to elect new representatives and to debate matters that will affect their children's education over the coming year.
Nick Killian, PRO of the NPC(PP), says parents of second level students are concerned with the whole area of "relationship and sexuality education". In addition, the drugs problem will take centre stage this year at the conference.
The organisation gets constant calls from parents "right around the country" who just want information on drugs, Killian explains.
In general, the conference also gives parents a chance to meet and discuss concerns - "an outpouring", Killian calls it. Parents from Cork to Donegal discover they have the same concerns, he says. The meeting, which is expected to attract up to 150 parents to the Silver Springs Hotel, will examine, debate and in some cases re shape policy documents on a wide range of issues.
Bullying and how a school's code of discipline is drawn up are expected to be issues, Killian says. Some groups within the NPC(PP) want managers and principals, ink conjunction with schools' parent bodies, to define all forms of bullying in the code of discipline.
Another agenda item will be "the whole area of school transport and the fact that it has not been recognised in any real way in education", Killian says.
Issues arising from the Education Bill - the desirability of regional education boards, for example - will also be debated. Some members are against their establishment.
A further motion likely to come before delegates would mandate the NPC, in accordance with its draft policy statement, to give a commitment to the promotion of appropriate structures and activities necessary to enable pupils with a physical disability and/or special needs to access the mainstream education system.
Another motion proposes that there be a central, independent exam appeals system. A motion on dyslexia, calling for an awareness programme from the NPC(PP) and the appointment of full time specialised staff to all schools, will also be debated.
A motion that chaplains be provided ex quota and fully funded by the Department of Education in all voluntary secondary schools in order to bring them into line with the other sectors is also on the agenda. Up to 50 motions in all will be debated.
"We will be making an election issue out of the abolition of Junior and Leaving Cert exam fees," Killian says. "We want them eliminated and we will be seeking a commitment to that from various parties coming up to the election."
According to Killian, "this year we are also branching out into the whole area of workshops", in particular to look at health education for young people. Some of these workshops are being organised in association with the Cork Social and Health Education Project. Delegates come from all school types in the post primary sector, including religious, comprehensive, scoileanna lan Ghaeilge, vocational and community schools. This is the council's 11th year in existence and its eighth annual conference.
