Education in Ireland: An Overview

1
Education in Ireland An Overview

• Presentation to
• Ministry of Education
• Ministry of Industry and Commerce
• and Delegation
• Colombia

Dr. Catherine Kavanagh Department of
Economics University College Cork, Ireland and
Former Manager Expert Group on Future Skills
Needs Forfas, Ireland
2
Overview

• Structure of Education in Ireland
• The Policy Context
• Growth and Research
• What Have We Learned
• Concerns and Challenges for Ireland

3
Structure of Irish Education

• First Level - Primary
• Second Level
• Third Level - Higher Education
• Fourth Level Doctorate and Post-Doctorate Level

4
Primary Level

• Years 1-8
• Statutory age entry is 6 years although most
  start at 4
• Curriculum is child centred and allows for
  flexibility in timetabling and teaching methods
• No formal examinations at the end of primary cycle

5
Second Level

• Includes
• Junior Cycle (3 years)
• Transition Year (optional 1 year)
• Senior Cycle (2 years)
• Different types of 2nd level schools, mainly
  differentiated by sources of funding, e.g.
  Secondary schools, community schools, vocational
  schools
• Two examinations Junior Certificate and Leaving
  Certificate
• All schools follow curricula laid down by
  Ministry of Education and Science
• Compulsory education is from age 6 to 16 or until
  students have completed 3 years of second level
  education

6
Third Level Higher and Further Education

• Third Level
• Universities (7)
• Institutes of Technology (14) formerly Regional
  Technical Colleges
• Colleges of Education (5)
• Specialist Institutions
• Medicine
• Law
• The Arts
• Private Colleges
• Adult/Further/Community Education

7
Governments Role

• Responsibility for governments role in education
  rests with the Department of Education and
  Science primary and second level
• Third Level NO separate Ministry. The HEA
  an independent statutory body manages third level
  but remains answerable to the Minister for
  Education and Science

8
Department of Education and Science

• Highly centralised system
• Rules and regulations
• Recognition of schools
• Curricula
• Resourcing
• Staffing
• Teachers salary scales

9
Higher Education Authority

• Statutory Planning and Development Body for
  Higher Education and Research in Ireland
• Wide Advisory Powers
• Funding Authority
• Quality Assurance Procedures
• Strategic Development Plans

10
Teaching Profession

• High status
• High salaries relative to EU counterparts
• Quality of in-take to colleges
• Colleges
• Teacher training
• Curriculum development
• In-career education
• New teaching methodologies

11
Policy Context in Ireland

• General consensus that
• Education has long been central to Irelands
  cultural, social and economic development
• A key strength of Irish education in the past has
  been its relevance to wider social and economic
  needs
• In a changing society and in a rapidly evolving
  economy, education must continually re-invent
  itself to remain relevant and responsive
• General view of all stakeholders that Ireland
  should progress to a knowledge-based economy
• View that government investment in education is
  justified on a number of levels

12
Wider Policy Context

• Importance of productivity growth - improving
  living standards key driver is productivity
  growth in the future
• What drives productivity? human capital
  (skilled labour force) is one key element
• Global, technological and demographic change
  emphasise importance of human capital

13
Wider Policy Context

• Impact of human capital investment evidence of
  growth and productivity?
• Increase average education in population by one
  year has positive impact on productivity of
  between 3-6 - OECD
• Third level education more important for OECD
  countries
• Stage, level and type of education matter for
  growth
• Human capital plays key role in fostering
  technological change and diffusion
• Human capital has positive impact on physical
  capital

14
Wider Policy Context

• Range of wider social effects of greater human
  capital include
• Lower risks of unemployment higher chance of
  labour market participation
• Increases in social cohesion
• Superior health status, increased level of
  exercise, more frequent use of seat-belts
• Lower smoking consumption, lower incidence of
  excessive alcohol consumption
• Lower levels of crime
• So societal benefits gt private benefits

15
Irelands Remarkable Growth

• Various reasons put forward including
• Full, active participation in EU
• Low Corporation Tax Rate
• Success in attracting large multi-national
  companies
• The skills and experience of the IDA
• Young English-speaking population
• Increased participation in labour market
• Immigration not emigration
• Returning graduates
• Partnership agreements
• More stable public finance position
• however

16
Irelands Remarkable Growth
Sustained investment in education the critical
driver of our economic success and social progress
17
Investment in Education in Ireland

• Slower to evolve in Ireland than in other OECD
  countries
• Attempted economic expansion in the early 1960s
  not very successful because
• Shortage of people with suitable qualifications
  and skills mix
• OECD Report 1966
• Free education introduced (1967)
• Beginning of serious investment
• Expenditure as percentage of national income has
  doubled since early 1990s
• Free third level education introduced in 1996
• Real recognition by Irish government of
  importance of education for economic, social and
  cultural development

18
Investment in Education

• 5.4 of GNI, less in terms of GDP
• Small level of expenditure on private
  institutions
• Overall expenditure on education in Ireland
  approx 15 of total government spending but
  expenditure by student is less than EU and OECD
  average at all levels
• 84 of all current expenditure at first and
  second level is for salaries
• 74 of current expenditure in higher education
  for salaries

19
Education Policy

• Two strands to Irish education policy
• Education policy aims to facilitate the
  accumulation of human capital in the economy with
  aim of fuelling economic growth
• Education policy aims to aid the governments
  policy objective of equity by ensuring equal
  access to, and opportunities within, the system
• Ireland cooperates at EU level in the development
  of education and training policies e.g. Bologna
  Process

20
Policies Aimed at Growth

• The work of the Expert Group on Future Skills
  Needs (EGFSN)
• Range of initiatives to promote science at all
  levels of education
• Life-long learning initiatives
• Role of HEA
• Role of Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)
• Research initiatives

21
Research

• Programme of Research in
• Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI)
• Scientific and Technology Investment Fund
• Strategy for Science/Technology
• and Innovation (2006 2013)
• Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)
• IRCSET and IRCHSS

22
Programme of Research in Third-Level
Institutions

• PRTLI
• Provides separate funding for research
• Develops major research centres
• Funds major research projects
• Independent selection of projects

23
Research

• Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) established in
  2000. Role is to support research in strategic
  areas that advance the countrys technological
  and economic success and reputation
• IRCSET and IRCHSS provide new sources of funding
  for researchers and research projects in these
  fields
• HEAs Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) established
  in 2006 (fund of 300m)
• SSTI key targets established, e.g. doubling
  number of PhDs

24
Research Investment

• Has created new capacity to highest world-class
  standards
• New researchers employed
• New career paths for existing researchers
• New dynamic in institutions
• Inter-institutional co-operation
• Ireland now a significant international
• research player

25
Higher Education Institutions in Ireland

• Traditional Universities
• Other higher education institutions
• Institutes of Technology

26
Institutes of Technology

• 14 Institutes
• Strategically located around the country
• Comprehensive range of courses from
  craft/apprenticeship programmes to
• post-doctoral level qualifications
• High quality applied research
• Programmes career-focused

27
Institutes of Technology

• Innovative partnerships with industry
• Ongoing research and consultancy services
• to industry
• Strong reputation as centres of excellence
• Have demonstrated an ability and agility
• to respond to changing economic growth
• Strong international collaborations

28
How Does Ireland Perform?

• 41 of all 25-34 year olds in population have 3rd
  level qualification up from 27 in 1999, EU
  average 28
• 86 of 20-24 year olds in population have upper
  second level attainment, above the Lisbon Target
  of 85
• PISA (test of OECD 15 year olds) Ireland
  performs very well in relation to reading, less
  well on Mathematics and Science and just above
  OECD average
• of 17-18 year olds in population that have
  upper second level education 91
• Programmes at primary and secondary level have
  focused on retention and achievement of students,
  especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds

29
So Investing in People is Important

• By 2015, 80 of the existing workforce will still
  be there meanwhile, 80 of all technology will
  be replaced (ILO)
• Lifelong learning and skills enhancement of
  existing workforce is crucial
• Positioning Ireland to continue to be
  internationally competitive, innovative and
  successful

Lifelong education should not be seen as a cost
but rather as an investment which will generate
massive returns in the future. (OECD)
30
Goal Building World-Class Third-Level
Education

• Should produce graduates to the highest possible
  standards
• Cornerstone of economic success
• Bedrock of the knowledge society
• Essential in making transition to higher value
  activities
• Challenge to develop the mix of creativity and
  skills to respond to the needs of a constantly
  changing global labour market

31
Skills Tomorrows Competitive Advantage

• Must develop competitive advantage in world-class
  skills, education and training in order to make
  this transition in which skills drive
  innovation, productivity and entrepreneurial
  activity.
• Knowledge and innovation are the key ingredients
  for success

32
Skills Requirements

• Not static
• World changing fast
• Difficult to predict
• Constant need for re-appraisal/change
• particular skills and balance of skills
• Shift to services/new knowledge economy
• demands greater degree of innovative
• ability and creativity
• the application of knowledge

33
Future Skills Needs

• Ongoing needs analysis in Ireland
• Framework of skills
• Fundamental skills
• Literacy/numeracy/use of technology
• People related skills
• Communication/interpersonal/team-working/
  customer service
• Conceptual skills
• Collecting/organising information/problem
  solving/planning and organising/learning to
  learn/innovative and creative
• Global Management and Leadership skills
• Higher level skills
• Science/Engineering/ICT and RD

34
What Have We Learned?

• Respond quickly to skills needs extent to which
  Ireland can evolve to a knowledge economy will
  depend to a large degree on the ability of the
  educational system to respond quickly and
  efficiently to the evolving skill needs of
  enterprise
• Flexible and adaptable Education and training
  environment must be flexible and adaptable. A
  process that is continuously proactive
• 3rd Function of Higher Education in addition to
  education and research, the third level has a
  third role to play in promoting the development
  of enterprise through the provision of a range of
  services and interactions with industry
• Integrated government policy required a coherent
  policy framework spanning relevant government
  departments and agencies
• Co-ordination of the activities of all relevant
  stakeholders

35
The Rewards

• Improved education and training yields a social
  dividend
• Better social cohesion
• Better public health
• Mitigates against poverty, crime and social
  welfare dependency
• Maximises the full potential of each individual
• Rewards for meeting challenges great
• Cost of not meeting challenges equally great

36
Concerns for Ireland

• Demographic change falling proportion of 17-18
  year olds
• Loss of internationally traded businesses
• Irelands debt burden continues to grow while
  interest rates are rising
• Dependence on the construction sector
• Costs concern for business consumer prices,
  labour costs, and non-labour costs
• External risks success in long-term depends on
  success in export markets, energy prices

37
Challenges in Future

• Need for enhanced productivity has slowed in
  recent years, requires investment at all levels
  of education system
• Promotion of competition costs
• Tax system must be competitive broaden base
  and efficiency of public services
• Innovation need to improve capabilities of our
  companies in moving up the value chain
• Skills globalisation and ICT, fears about
  outsourcing and automation, growing demand for
  skills that require expert thinking and complex
  communications, need to retrain existing workers,
  need for strong basic skills and competencies,
  need for advanced skills