Urgent reform is needed to tackle disadvantage in the Irish education system, it was claimed today.
The Labour Party today launched a comprehensive package of proposals it would implement if it entered government.
Labour education spokeswoman Ms Jan O'Sullivan
Measures include curriculum reform, changes in assessment, one year's pre-school for every child and a "banding system" to ensure targeted funding for schools.
"Educational disadvantage is one of the most glaring negative aspects of Irish education today," said Labour education spokeswoman Ms Jan O'Sullivan. "Up to 1,000 children a year do not transfer from primary to secondary school.
"Almost a fifth of students do not complete the Leaving Cert and 30 per cent of children in disadvantaged communities suffer literacy problems."
The party has already published proposals on Back to School Costs and funding of Day-To-Day Expenditure in Primary Schools.
It said children in areas of greatest disadvantage should be entitled to extended pre-school time each day. It also proposes to set up a "banding system" to identify the needs of each school in order to prioritise resources and personnel.
Schools with highest priority would be entitled to a 15:1 pupil-teacher ratio up to the age of nine years, a classroom assistant in each class and literacy support programmes.
Ms O'Sullivan also promised the Labour Party would focus on speech and language therapy and special needs teaching. It will also implement the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act, 2004 which provides for the needs of each child to be assessed for tailored support access.
The Labour Party wants the school in every community to be "an active centre of learning for all the community". It also plans to foster an ethos of reading in young children and increased funding of school and public libraries.
PA