Sir, – It was heartening to read the article in The Irish Times about the forthcoming citizens’ assembly on education, with the 10 perspectives of what real reform might look like (Peter McGuire, “‘End the points race; foster sustainability; drop the well-meaning platitudes’: Big ideas for the future of education”, Education, May 23rd).
Inclusion in education came out strongly as a theme and it is time now to have a serious discourse on how we attain that for all young people.
Schools are, for most young people, the optimum way to access education.
But there is a minority of young people who, for a variety of reasons, cannot go to school or leave school early.
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We have a moral imperative to support these young people, to achieve their potential, in a way that works for them. There are a number of providers of “alternative” education in Ireland but they need to be acknowledged and appropriately supported.
iScoil is one programme for young people, who cannot access mainstream education and offers a supported and specialist learning service, with a recognised accredited qualification. While advances have been made at third level for a broader and fairer access route and qualification type, this now needs to be put in place for those of school-going age.
I look forward to the work of the citizens’ assembly. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET O’DONOGHUE,
General Manager,
iScoil,
Blackpitts,
Dublin 8.