The countdown to the annual teacher conferences, which continue all week, has been relatively low-key this year. Benchmarking pay increases have clearly helped to lift the mood of teachers and the militancy, so apparent during the Asti dispute four years ago, appears to have dissipated.
There is little focus on pay and conditions. Instead, attention has shifted to the quality of our education system and to its continued under-resourcing.
There is much to be done. The findings of a Department of Education and Science survey of disadvantaged primary schools - details of which were published in yesterday's Irish Times - are disturbing and worrying. It found that a high proportion of children in these areas suffers severe problems with literacy and numeracy. Many of these schools struggle to attract and retain teachers and all of them experience chronic levels of absenteeism among pupils.
The survey was conducted by the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Science which is to be commended for the work involved. It spells out the scale of the problem in these schools in clear and unambiguous terms. Even a cursory reading of various school reports compiled for the department reveals that the effort to combat educational disadvantage is having little real impact.
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin, who is making her first appearance at the teacher conferences, is expected to receive a warm reception from delegates. The Minister appears to have a natural empathy with the profession, as one might expect from a former teacher. She has done well to restore morale after the bruising pay campaign. But delegates will be looking for more than honeyed words and vague promises. They will want to hear how she plans to combat educational disadvantage and what additional resources will be available.
As INTO president Austin Corcoran pointed out in his address to delegates last night, spending on education in this State continues to lag behind other less prosperous countries. For the most part, our education system is successful thanks in no small measure to the commitment of teachers, parents and, indeed, students. But much greater investment is required in areas where the system is patently less successful - such as those highlighted by the department's own survey.
Dealing with educational disadvantage requires a multi-faceted approach. But some practical measures could make a real difference. A further effort to reduce class size in these areas should be a priority. The recruitment of specialist expertise in literacy and numeracy would help also. Most of all, teachers must be encouraged to work in these areas by being given special incentives such as additional allowances and/or extra sabbatical leave. The current situation where these schools are struggling to retain primary teachers must be addressed. It is hoped Ms Hanafin's addresses to INTO and Asti delegates today will point the way to real progress.