Ireland
Country
Topic:
The primary education sector comprises primary schools, special schools and non-aided private primary schools. There are just over 3,200 primary schools and 118 special schools. Primary schools account for over 98% of pupils in the primary sector and are staffed by over 20,000 teachers. More than 50% of the schools have four or fewer teachers. There are 79 private primary schools which receive no State funding.
The current and capital costs of primary schools are predominantly funded by the State and supplemented by local contributions. The State funds the full cost of teachers' salaries. Special funding arrangements are in place for some schools in areas designated as disadvantaged and for children with special educational needs
In the year 1998/99, 362,728 students were enrolled in a total of 759 second-level schools. The breakdown is as follows: 211,365 (58.3%) in 432 secondary schools; 98,685 (27.2%) in 245 in schools in the vocational sector; 44,144 (12.2%) in 66 community schools; and 8,534 (2.3%) in 16 comprehensive schools. There were also 38 other aided and non aided schools. 374 of the 432 secondary schools in the sector are in the Free Education Scheme.
Secondary schools are privately owned and managed. They accommodate 61% of second-level students. The majority are conducted by religious communities and the rest by Boards of Governors and individuals. Over 95% of the cost of teachers' salaries are met by the State. In addition, allowances and capitation grants are paid to the 95% of secondary schools, which participate in the free secondary education scheme.
Vocational schools, which accommodate 26 % of all second-level students, are administered by vocational educational committees. They receive up to 93% of their total funding from the State. The rest is generated by the vocational education committees.
Community and comprehensive schools are allocated individual budgets by the State. They accommodate 14% of second-level students.
The Junior Certificate School Programme is available, on a limited basis, to schools which can identify a suitable cohort that might benefit from a more flexible approach to the curriculum and its assessment.
It is particularly targeted at students who are at risk of leaving school early. Students following this programme take at least two subjects in the Junior Certificate examination - usually English and Mathematics, and may take other subjects as appropriate. A student profile is kept as a positive record of student achievement. On completion of the programme, students receive both state certificates for subjects taken in the Junior Certificate examination and a school-assessed student profile.
Second-level education consists of a three-year junior cycle followed by a two-year or three-year senior cycle. The Junior Certificate examination is taken after three years. The Junior Certificate Programme provides a single unified programme for students aged broadly between twelve and fifteen years. Its aims are to extend and deepen students' educational experience and prepare them for further study at senior cycle.
The aims of the senior cycle are to encourage and facilitate students to continue in full-time education after the compulsory period by providing a stimulating range of programmes suited to their abilities, interests and aptitudes. The objectives are to develop all students' potential to the full, and equip them for work or further education.
Students may spend up to three years in senior cycle, generally from age 15 to 18 years. They may follow a two-year Leaving Certificate Programme immediately after Junior Certificate, or they may opt to follow a Transition Year programme before doing the Leaving Certificate programme.
The Leaving Certificate examination is held at the end of the senior cycle. It is the terminal examination of post-primary education. Students normally sit for the examination at the age of 17 or 18 years.
A major restructuring of the senior cycle is currently in progress, involving four main elements:
- The availability of the Transition Year programme as an option for all second-level schools.
- The revision of the established Leaving Certificate programme.
- The introduction of the Leaving Certificate Applied course.
- The development and expansion of the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme.
For further detailed information regarding the organisation of mainstream educational services in Ireland, please visit the Eurydice information service at:
http://www.eurydice.org/Eurybase/Application/frameset.asp?country=IE&language=VO
Information can also be found at the the website of the Department of Education and Science at:
http://www.irlgov.ie/educ/
There is specialist information provided at Scoilnet, Ireland's official education website:
http://www.scoilnet.ie/
ScoilNet "a dedicated online service to pupils, teachers and parents. It provides an unrivalled resource in its dynamic library of curriculum-based educational information, a wide variety of extra-curricular activities and aims to provide a large range of products and services tailored to the needs of ScoilNet users"