IRELAND still has “some way to go” in building a system of quality and continuous improvement in schools, according to a new report.
The report, from the the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), highlights a lack of accountability in the schools system. Edna Jordan, the main author of the report, says that “there is a need for a national data and standards framework which provides a sound basis for judgment about quality and improvement”. She says “this should be underpinned by a culture of evidence-based practice within schools to promote a greater culture of reflective practice”.
The report concludes that both of these are required to support improved quality and accountability in the school system.
In a separate research paper, the NESC says the OECD/Pisa reports – which highlighted an alarming drop in literacy and numeracy in Ireland – should not necessarily be taken at face value. It says the Pisa report is more complicated than a cursory examination might suggest.
