The Government's decision to prevent the use of State examination results to compile schools league tables was defended by Mr Noel Treacy, Minister of State for Education and Science, last night.
In his address to the ASTI's annual convention in Killarney, Co Kerry, he said league tables were crude and superficial and told nothing about the achievements of individual schools, or about the role of the school in the local community. They also told nothing about how the individual needs of pupils were met.
However, there was no room for complacency. The Government, he said, believed in giving support to school communities to enable them to recognise their strengths and weaknesses and work together to develop a positive agenda.
The Minister noted that reports from phase one of the "whole school evaluation" pilot project had been encouraging and demonstrated that a collaborative model could work. He promised that the project would be evaluated later this year and that comprehensive consultations would ensue.
The Education Act, 1998, the Minister said, was the most significant piece of legislation concerning schools since the foundation of the State. It set out for the first time a clear statutory framework within which the system could operate and develop.
It balanced the rights and responsibilities of the partners in education: parents, patrons, students, teachers and the State itself. "It stands out internationally for the number of areas where a statutory basis is given to the participation of teachers in the formulation of public policy on education," Mr Treacy asserted.
Teachers had been offered a record range of in-career courses this year thanks to greatly expanded funding. "The availability of high-quality in-career training is one element of helping to ensure that we maintain the standards of what is internationally recognised as an excellent teaching force," he said.
The establishment of an independent self-regulatory teaching council during the coming year would be another major move in this area and a "reinforcing signal of the status of your profession".
A circular on discipline would be issued to schools in the next few weeks. "Teachers have a lot to cope with and they have a right to work in an atmosphere which is safe and not disruptive. It is Minister Martin's intention to address this in a comprehensive manner in the coming months."