Children should be more involved in determining the kind of education they receive, the National Parents Council (Primary) has ruled. The council's annual general conference in Portlaoise at the weekend passed a motion calling for children to play a more active role in schools.
"Partnership is a word which is used quite freely, and of late very frequently, when we talk about the educational system," said Mr Joe Barrett, a delegate from Laois.
"If we really mean what we say about a partnership approach, then we will have to involve the children in this partnership. Their views pertaining to the manner and the environment in which education is delivered to them should be sought."
Addressing the 220 delegates the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Martin, acknowledged the role parents play in their children's education.
"Parents are the most important people in any child's life, and children's first educational experiences are in the home. The environment at home is one that naturally encourages successful learning, and parents are the child's first teachers.
"The parents' vital role confers on them the right to be recognised as full partners in the education of their children, and this means they are entitled to be consulted when decisions concerning their child's schooling are taken." The importance of this role was enshrined in the Education Bill, the Minister said.
However, the Education Bill was criticised by the NPC as "the weakest possible position on rights and entitlements of children".
In her address to the conference the NPC's national co-ordinator, Ms Fionnuala Kilfeather, said: "Throughout the Bill, rights are watered down in favour of administrative and financial considerations. Phrases such as `as far as practicable' crop up too often.
"There is a semblance of democracy throughout the Bill, but no substance. The Bill is a matter of serious concern to families throughout the country."
During one of the workshops, 20 children aged six to 12 unanimously identified their most important rights as the right to a family, the right to education and the right to play. They also wanted the right to express an opinion in the classroom, but "without being cheeky to the teacher".
Ms Kilfeather referred to the need to develop an independent appeals procedure where pupils experience difficulties at school.
"Parents do not bring in frivolous and vexatious appeals," she said. "Up to now complaints have often been dealt with in an adversarial way, and the focus has not been on the needs of the child. The dignity, well-being and education of the child must be central to how we operate.
"An appeals tribunal should be able to examine any complaint which has not been resolved at school level. Parents cannot accept anything less."
The Whole School Evaluation pilot project recently implemented by the Department was criticised by the conference as a "completely watered down" version of the original proposal. The intention to involve all parties in the school community has been dropped and "parents and parents' associations have been left out in the cold."
Delegates called on the Minister to "safeguard the rights of parents of visually impaired and blind children to choose either mainstream or special schools."