INCA Education around the world
INCA Summary Profile - Education in Ireland
1. Control and organisation
Overall responsibility for the organisation and administration of the education system in the Republic of Ireland and for the formulation and implementation of legislation rests with the central Department of Education and Science (DES). School inspection is the responsibility of the Department of Education and Science Inspectorate.
All schools are encouraged to have boards of management in place; these boards include representatives of the school's owners, teachers and parents. Provision is made within the 1998 Education Act for these boards to become statutory.
2. Public sector/private sector education
In 2001/02, approximately 98 per cent of full-time students attended public sector schools, with the remaining two per cent in private, non-grant-aided schools (provided and controlled by non-government bodies, and receiving none of their finance from the public sector).
Irish schools at the primary and secondary level are, by and large, privately owned but state funded. While the schools remain in private ownership (largely owned by religious communities), and are locally managed (largely by representative boards of management), teachers' salaries and operational costs are almost entirely met by the State.
3. Language of instruction
The language of instruction depends on whether the school lies in an Irish (Gaeltacht) or English-speaking district or provides Irish-medium education in an almost predominantly English-speaking community.
4. Compulsory education
Education is compulsory for children from the age of six to 16. Compulsory education is organised into two phases - primary level and second-level (junior cycle) (see below).
Parents may choose the school they wish their child to attend. When children complete primary education (at the age of 12), they are admitted to the junior cycle of secondary level schooling. Schooling is free except in privately funded schools.
| Phases | Age range |
| Primary level | 6 - 12 |
| Second-level (junior cycle) (in community schools, comprehensive schools, vocational schools or voluntary schools) | 12-16 |
5. Pre-compulsory education
While compulsory schooling does not begin until children are six years old, almost half of four-year-olds (49 per cent) and all five-year-olds are enrolled in infant classes in primary schools. The State also provides funding for other early childhood education provision, including targeted interventions such as Early Start for children in areas of socio-economic disadvantage.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has begun work on the development of a framework for early childhood learning for all children from birth to six years. The Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education (CECDE) was established in 2002 and is responsible for coordinating and developing early childhood education.
6. Post-compulsory education
Post-compulsory school education is provided in the form of second-level senior cycle education for students aged between 15/16 and 17/19 years. The senior cycle usually lasts for two or three years, depending on whether students take the optional Transition Year. Students can follow a one-year Transition Year programme, or begin one of three types of two-year Leaving Certificate programmes:
Leaving Certificate - a general/academic programme.
Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) - which has a concentration on vocational and technical subjects.
Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) - which includes general subjects, vocational subjects and vocational preparation.
The Transition Year is offered in 70 per cent of schools and a school-designed curriculum is delivered. The emphasis in the Transition Year is on personal and social development, as well as on promoting general, technical and academic skills.
In some areas, students follow a three-year programme, combining a Transition Year and a Leaving Certificate programme.
7. Special needs education
Special educational provision for students with disabilities ranges from full-time placement in mainstream schools with additional support, to full-time placement in a special school. Legislative policy supports the maximum level of inclusion for students in mainstream schools. Presently there are three main models of provision:
Students may be enrolled in a mainstream school with additional support from a Resource Teacher and/or a Special Needs Assistant.
Students may be enrolled in a special class in mainstream schools.
Students may be enrolled in a special school which caters for the student's category of disability.
Special schools generally offer a significantly reduced student/teacher ratio and receive higher levels of funding per student than mainstream schools.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has published Guidelines for Teachers of Students with General Learning Disabilities. The aim of these guidelines is to support teachers in enabling students to access a broad, balanced and relevant curriculum.
8. School year
The school year usually runs from September to the end of June for primary schools, and from September to the end of May for secondary schools.
The primary school year consists of 183 days, and the secondary school year 179 days. Schools open on five days per week (Monday to Friday).
The minimum annual lesson time at primary level is 915 hours but there is no fixed number of lessons which must be taught. At secondary level, lessons normally last between 35-45 minutes, and there may be 35-42 classes in a week.
9. Statutory curricula
The primary school curriculum (1999) comprises seven curriculum areas: language (Irish, English); mathematics; social, environmental and scientific education (SESE) (history, geography, science); arts education (visual arts, music and drama); physical education; social, personal and health education (SPHE); and religious education. It is an integrated curriculum which aims to promote active learning.
Students spend three years in the junior cycle of secondary (often known as second-level) schools. They follow the Junior Certificate course, the purpose of which is to provide a well-balanced, general education. The core curriculum for the junior cycle in all second-level schools includes Irish; English; mathematics; civic, social and political education (CSPE); and social, personal and health education (SPHE). Physical education should also form part of the curriculum. There are 26 subjects approved for the junior cycle curriculum, from which schools offer a selection to students.
10. Religious education
Religious education is included in the curriculum for compulsory level education, but individual students may opt out.
11. Citizenship education, personal, social and health education, work related education or careers education
During primary education, children are required to follow a course in social, personal and health education (SPHE).
In the junior cycle of secondary schools, students receive civic, social and political education (CSPE), which is a course on democratic citizenship. They also follow a course in social, personal and health education (SPHE), and a course in guidance, counselling and pastoral care.
In upper secondary education, work experience is offered as part of the Transition Year programme, and is monitored by personnel in the work placement as well as from the school. Students following the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) study three mandatory 'link modules' on enterprise education, preparation for work, and work experience.
12. Textbooks
School textbooks are commercially produced, not approved by the State, selected by teachers and usually provided by parents. Some state subsidies are available.
13. Statutory system of assessment
There is no formal examination at the end of primary education. Continuous assessment is the responsibility of teachers who use their own or standardised tests. Formal tests are generally taken at the end of each year at primary level. Progression is automatic and only in exceptional cases do children repeat a year.
At secondary level, all schools organise their own tests for students. These usually take place before Christmas, in May, and towards the end of the school year. Such school-based tests are usually formal and set by subject teachers. As a rule, student evaluation in second-level schools is the subject teacher's responsibility. Many teachers also give regular tests within class periods to stimulate the learning process.
The Department of Education has recently announced plans to make standardised testing a requirement for all children at key points during compulsory education. It is currently intended that, from the 2006/07 school year, children will take tests in Year 1 of compulsory (primary) education (ages six to seven), in Year 6 (ages 11 to 12) and at one other time.
14. Examinations and certification
There is no formal examination at the end of primary education. However, teachers use a variety of assessment procedures in their daily teaching, including end-of-year tests (see above).
At secondary level, the Junior Certificate examination is an externally set and externally assessed state examination taken by students at the end of the three-year junior cycle programme. The Junior Certificate examination, available in all subjects, is set and marked centrally by the Department of Education and Science (DES).
In post-compulsory senior cycle education, terminal external examinations are the usual form of assessment on completion of the two-year courses for the Leaving Certificate and the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). For students following the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) programme, assessment takes place at various stages during the two-year programme. Successful students are awarded the relevant Leaving Certificate which is used by employers for selection purposes and is the basis upon which places in higher education are allocated.
15. Initial teacher training
Teachers who wish to work in primary schools must obtain a Bachelor of Education degree after a three- or four-year course in a college of education. They are trained as generalists.
Secondary school teachers must obtain a Bachelor's degree in their specialist subject and then complete a one-year Higher Diploma in Education. Secondary level teachers are trained as subject specialists.
