A chara, – If Richard Bruton is serious about seeking views on how to “advance the transformation of the education system”, and his three year plan is more than a crude publicity stunt, then he could begin by reversing some of the swingeing cuts handed out by the previous two governments.
At second-level, career guidance has been slashed, one-to-one counselling has been decimated and middle-management posts, such as year heads and programme coordinators have been dismantled. The pupil-teacher ratio for valuable programmes such as the Leaving Cert Applied and the Leaving Cert Vocational Programme have increased, and grants to cater for disadvantaged students have been cut.
Reducing the already meagre resources available to young people at a time when they have greatest need for them makes little educational or economic sense and will most likely prove more costly in the long term. I hope the appointment of Mr Bruton as Minister for Education and Skills will provide a welcome opportunity to undo some of the damage done in the past. – Is mise,
KEVIN P McCARTHY,
Killarney,
Co Kerry.