Teaching matters:In his review of the 2007 sporting year in The Irish Times of December 29th, Tom Humphries attributes the continuing success of Kilkenny and Kerry in hurling and football respectively to "tradition and long-term investment right at the grass roots".

A close look at the contrasting fortunes of Tipperary and Kilkenny hurling in recent decades would suggest that success is in fact much less about tradition and much more about investment.

Between 1887 and 1971 Tipperary won 22 All-Ireland senior hurling finals - an average of one every 3.8 years. In the same period Kilkenny won 19 - one every 4.4 years.

If this pattern had persisted since 1971, Tipperary would have won nine more All-Irelands and Kilkenny would have won eight. What has transpired has been quite different. Tipperary have won three All-Irelands since 1971 and Kilkenny have won 11.

So how has this transformation occurred? Here it is instructive to look at the pattern with regard to minor All-Irelands - ie under-18 championships. Three counties tie for most All-Ireland minor wins - Tipperary, Cork and Kilkenny have won 18 championships. In Tipperary's case, however, they went 17 years - from 1959 to 1976 - without a minor championship. Since 1971, they have won a total of six - of which two were in the past two years. In the same period Kilkenny have won 11 and Cork have won nine.

In summary, since 1971, Kilkenny have won 11 minor All-Irelands; Cork has won nine and Tipperary six. Their respective figures for senior All-Irelands are 13, 10 and three.

So tradition did not sustain Tipperary. Moreover, it could be argued that it was a misplaced faith in its power that led to the relative demise of the county's hurling fortunes in recent decades.

Decisions regarding investment in education would do well to take cognisance of the contrasting hurling fortunes of these counties. The experience of all three counties shows that success in later years is best secured by investment in early years.

As the Irish economy enters a more uncertain and difficult period, it is important that we continue to prioritise education investment. Indeed, there is a compelling argument for significantly increased expenditure as the global competitive environment becomes ever more challenging.

The Pisa (Programme for International Student Assessment) survey invariably ranks Finnish students amongst the top positions in the OECD countries. The 2003 survey, for instance, showed that they were among the best in all domains studied - mathematics, reading literacy, sciences and problem solving. In the most recent survey in 2006, Finland was ranked first on science and second on each of the other domains. Ireland was ranked 15th on science, fifth on reading and 17th on maths.

So how does Finland do it and what can we learn from them? Children in Finland start school much later than in Ireland - at the age of seven. However, pre-school education is provided for six-year-olds. Pre-school education is an obligation on the local authorities and a right for families since 1971. Under the age of six, there is a comprehensive state-supported kindergarten provision for all children from birth.

By the time the child enters school at the age of seven, therefore, it is likely that s/he will already have engaged in many years of formalised education provision either supported or fully provided by the state.

The child will spend the next nine years in comprehensive school, completing compulsory schooling at the age of 16. In this way, the Finnish student transfers to second-level education much later than is the case in Ireland. Typically the Irish student will have completed the whole Junior-cert cycle programme at second level by 16.

At comprehensive school level, schools have a high degree of autonomy in devising their own curricula on the basis of a core national curriculum. There are no final examinations at the end of comprehensive school.

The school inspection system was discontinued in the early 1990s and replaced by a system of sample-based assessments. Results are reported without ranking lists, and on the basis of these results schools and teachers receive regular reports about the skills of their pupils in relation to other schools and in relation to national objectives. Based on this information, schools performing below the average can put improvement measures in place.

As with all successful school systems, Finland places enormous significance on the quality of its teaching profession. Kindergarten teachers are trained to bachelor's degree level, while the comprehensive school teacher is trained to master's degree level.

It appears then that the Finnish system differs from the Irish one in a number of important respects. The Finns spend more on education, though they are not significantly above the OECD average; there is a far greater emphasis on the importance of kindergarten and pre-school education; the teachers have significantly more autonomy and decision-making discretion in pedagogical and curricular matters; schools have up-to-date information on their performance in relation to other schools and are empowered to develop locally appropriate responses to any performance weaknesses identified. In this way the school itself becomes a learning organisation.

Of course, not all differences in Pisa scores come down to differences in schooling systems. Broad social and cultural factors also play a part, with parenting styles and cultures being particularly important. It is easier and more productive, however, to intervene positively in schooling and to realise particular desired objectives than it is to do so in more general social and cultural domains.

It is imperative that Irish education learns from the best practice of other systems. It is equally important that the wider political culture and policy-making machinery of the State supports the process of ongoing improvement and development.

Pisa shows us that a tradition of excellence in education in Ireland, of which the country is justifiably proud, cannot be assumed a given. Instead, it must be continuously worked on, interrogated and nurtured.

As in the case of Tipperary hurling, past achievements are no guarantee at all of continued success in the future.