Making Primary Education Free September 2016 Introduction It is 50 years since Donogh O Malley announced the introduction of free education up to post primary level. This bold move towards a better society and a brighter future for Irish children has gone down as one of the most important and visionary by any Minister of Education in Irish political history. Yet while compulsory fees are gone they have been replaced with costs which span every aspect of a child s education. Barnardos vision is a genuinely free school system that all children can benefit from and reach their potential. We have calculated the cost of funding those items essential for sending a child to school in Ireland today (school books, voluntary contribution, classroom resources, the School Transport Scheme fee and increasing capitation to schools) and found a relatively modest investment could guarantee free primary education for all children. The impact of an inclusive, supportive education system reaches far beyond school grades. It means all children, regardless of their background are given the same opportunity to learn and thrive. Primary education in Ireland today Primary education is the great foundation stone on which all our ambitions and achievements are built. The importance of education is recognised in Ireland by enshrining a child s right to primary education in our Constitution. 1 Yet, the substantial financial cost of sending a child to primary school means access to education is not free and anything but equal. Every year for more than a decade parents have been telling Barnardos- through our School Costs Survey- that their children s primary education places a significant financial burden upon them. For parents, forgoing items essential to their child s education is not an option so many of them are forced to make sacrifices elsewhere. Too often these sacrifices result in cutting back on essentials like food or heat. 2 1 Constitution of Ireland, Article 42.4 2 Barnardos, School Costs Survey 2016 1 Barnardos 2016
Cuts to capitation funding to schools in recent years mean school resources are stretched and parents are being asked more and more to step into the breach either by directly funding their child s costs or through fundraising. Let s be clear, parents aren t only asked to pay for optional extras but for basic school costs such as electricity and heating. A key finding of the School Costs Survey 2016 is the wide variation in costs parents pay from school to school. Parents expressed strongly they want the Government to step in to reduce unfair variations in cost. Inevitably it is the families with the lowest incomes who are disproportionately affected by primary school costs putting children who are already disadvantaged at even greater risk of failing to fulfil their potential. Many parents are forced into debt in order to give their child equal access to what should be a freely available, human right and is enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This is grossly unfair and something as a nation we should be ashamed of. All children deserve a level playing field from which to progress into adulthood with the same opportunities as their peers, regardless of their parent s ability to pay. The overwhelming message from the 1,475 parents who took Banardos School Costs Survey this year is that education in Ireland is not free. 3 On average it costs 350-400 to send a child to primary school. It is the Government s responsibility to adequately fund education not parents. Why do children need free primary education? Education provides the frame upon which a child s life and opportunities will be built. All children deserve an equal chance at a bright future and education is crucial in realising this. Children have a right to education. 4 This right is enshrined in the Irish Constitution, which guarantees State funded, free primary education for all children. 5 Under the Education Act (1998) the State commits to providing education for every child in the State and recognises economic and social disadvantage prevent students gaining an education. 6 Yet Barnardos knows through our survey and our direct work with families that participating in the free education system is expensive. In 2015 Ireland adopted the UN Sustainable Development Goals which include a commitment to ensure that all girls 3 Banardos, (2016) School Costs Survey 4 United Nations, (1989) Convention on the Rights of the Child 5 Constitution of Ireland, Article 42.4 6 The Education Act 1998, (51) 2 Barnardos 2016
and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education by 2030. 7 Investment in a child s education not only benefits that child but also the whole of society. Educational disadvantage is closely linked to income inequality. People who receive an education can command higher incomes and contribute more towards our economy. In a wider context, education plays a key role in the development of a child s cognitive, social and emotional skills. Evidence shows that education has a strong effect on a child s social outcomes and is a key driver in tackling health, crime and other social problems. 8 In short, an investment in a free education is an investment in a better society for everyone. How much would it cost? Barnardos vision is to remove the bulk of current costs paid by parents and instead for the Department of Education to fully fund schools to ensure essentials such as school books, classroom resources and basic essentials for running a school are provided. Our analysis, first published in 2015, used data from Department of Education, findings from our School Costs Survey and estimated population projection. 9 We calculate it would cost just an extra 103 million annually to deliver free primary education and an extra 126 million in secondary education (see Appendix 1 for full breakdown of costs). An additional 103 million in primary education equates to around 185 per pupil per year. To put this into context, the Department of Education s overall budget exceeds 8bn annually. School books It is estimated the total cost of the school book industry in Ireland is 60 million. 10 Of this, the Government currently funds a School Book Scheme to the tune of 15 million each year. Budget 2016 saw an additional 5m allocated to school book rental schemes. To date all primary schools were given additional once-off funding for setting up and running school book rental schemes. In recent years many schools are incorporating the use of e-books in the classroom. For parents e-books are not necessarily a cheaper alternative to text books, indeed some parents have indicated to Barnardos they are required to buy a text book in order to receive a free e-book. To ensure every child in the school system 7 United Nations, (2015) Sustainable Development Goals 8 OECD, (2013), Education Indicators in Focus- 2013/01 (January) 9 Barnardos (2015) Free Education for All School Children 10 Minister for Education (Jan O Sullivan), Ceisteanna- Questions- Dáil Éireann, vol.227, 2 nd April 2015 3 Barnardos 2016
has free textbooks, workbooks and e-books an additional 40 million in exchequer funding annually is required ( 20m each at primary and secondary levels). Presently, teachers choose the books and parents pay. If school books were funded by the State and provided through the school, the school rather than the parents would be the customer similar to long standing schemes operational in Northern Ireland, Scotland etc. (see Appendix 3). Savings may be available, both for hard copy and digital texts, as the school would be able to negotiate a bulk purchase price. All materials would still satisfy curriculum standards, as well as allow for continued competitiveness among book publishers and support the recycling of books. Extra school fees and contributions Voluntary contributions and paying for classroom resources have been the norm in Irish schools for many years. Far from voluntary, these fees can vary drastically from school to school. Barnardos School Cost Survey suggests parents of primary school pupils pay around 42 million in voluntary contributions and 19.5 million to pay for classroom resources. These vast costs clearly demonstrate how underfunded the school system is. Primary schools receive around 93 cent in capitation funding per pupil per day to cover their running costs. It is therefore unsurprising that so many schools rely heavily on parents to bridge the shortfall in funding. Barnardos does not advocate a total ban on schools being allowed to fundraise and recognises it s appropriate for schools to occasionally seek funds from parents for optional activities; however this does not extend to basic necessities. Sufficient funding must be provided by the State to ensure a child can participate in primary education. Parents should not have to pay for the classroom resources essential to their child s learning or to ensure the classroom is warm enough for their child to learn in. School transport A key component of O Malley s 1966 commitment to free education was the inclusion of free school buses to those children who need it. O Malley recognised transport as a key barrier to education which must be removed if education was to be truly equitable. Today more than 100,000 primary and secondary pupils avail of the Government s School Transport Scheme. Despite Government funding of 163.5 million parents still have to pay 100 per primary pupil (with a maximum of 220 per family) and 350 per secondary pupil (with a maximum of 650 per family) to subsidise the Scheme. Last year Barnardos estimated it would cost in the region of 5 million to make the School Transport Scheme 4 Barnardos 2016
free to all; however subsequent figures from the Department of Transport indicate it may cost even less to fully subsidise primary school transport for all children. 11 Restoration of capitation grants Capitation grants are paid to schools on a per pupil basis. These grants are to fund the general running of the school. Since 2010 these grants have been cut by around 15% per pupil putting immense financial strain on schools. Restoring capitation grants to 2010 levels to primary schools would cost 16.7 million, taking pressure off school resources, reducing parental financial obligation and making sure children have the right environment in which to learn. The public view In April 2016 Barnardos carried out a survey to gauge public opinion on free primary education. We received 801 responses to the survey with responses coming from every county in Ireland. We asked if respondents believed the Government should fund free primary education at a cost of 185 per pupil per year; an overwhelming 90% of people agreed. Similarly 86% of people said voluntary contributions should be entirely at parents discretion. Schooling should be covered in its entirety. Otherwise the government is providing substandard under resourced education. What's the point? I have lived in Canada where primary education is truly free to all regardless of income. Children use photocopied workbooks (originals produced by the provincial school board) not expensive textbooks produced and sold at great expense by private companies. Education is a fundamental foundation in all our lives and helps prevent inequalities. As a Public Health Nurse I see inequalities every single day, in terms of health literacy impacting on a person s ability to access and utilise services. In work I am not expected to buy paper for my printer or buy my own pens! It states in the Constitution that the Government should provide for free primary education for all children and it should be entirely 'free'. I have to pay 700 each year to pay for my two children to go to primary school. If I buy all brand new text books for my children then I have to add another extra 200. I don't think it is 'free' at all. It is very costly. I strongly agree that the Irish government should do what they say in the Constitution! 11 Minister for Transport (Damien English), Ceisteanna- Questions- Dáil Éireann, vol.238, 3 rd December 2015 5 Barnardos 2016
How can we afford free primary education? Barnardos is aware that moving towards a free education system will take time and believes the initial focus must be on securing free primary education, with a move to fully fund secondary education following full implementation in primary. The introduction of free primary education could too be moved towards incrementally. There has been much debate on the proposed cut to the Universal Social Charge (USC). A 1% reduction in the highest USC band (for those earning over 70,044) would mean retaining 150 million Exchequer funding, more than enough to pay for free education. It is also possible further funding could be found from savings or changes within the school system itself. It is estimated between 25 and 30 per cent of school capitation is spent on energy. This means primary schools spend in the region of 50-60 million on energy. Research suggests behavioural changes combined with low-technology solutions can result in a 15 to 25 per cent decrease in energy consumption. To date efforts by the Sustainable Energy Authority Ireland and voluntary programmes such as An Taisce s Green Schools initiative have yielded little change in schools energy consumption on the whole. 12 If greater emphasis was placed on energy saving in a formalised manner by way of Department of Education regulation and mandatory reporting by schools, as well as greater support and resources available for schools to reduce their energy consumption savings in the region of 8-15 million could be made annually. In recent years there have been moves across the public sector for improved procurement practice. Procurement is a key element of the Government s Public Service Reform agenda, spearheaded by the Office of Government Procurement, and aims to ensure public service bodies procure goods and services in a co-ordinated and efficient way which makes savings for the taxpayer. Yet the vast majority of schools still manage procurement on an individual basis. Negotiating on a case by case basis requires effort and oftentimes schools fall into ongoing arrangements with local suppliers who may not offer the best value for money. While perhaps not everything schools purchase could be managed centrally there are considerable savings to be made should primary school procurement be coordinated on a national or regional basis. Indirect taxation is another avenue for making savings in school costs. Currently schools are not exempt for Value Added Tax (VAT). Charged at 23% for the standard rate VAT 12 Dublin Friends of the Earth (2014) Presentation to Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection, 4 th December 2014 6 Barnardos 2016
accounts for a significant proportion of school spending on things like stationery, fuel, furniture and digital equipment. If the Department of Finance was to exempt schools from paying VAT considerable savings could be made. Conclusion Barnardos has been running its School Costs Survey for over a decade. The evidence clearly contradicts the persistent myth that Ireland has free education. Barnardos believes it should be. The investment required is miniscule considering the tremendous benefits it will reap for children in the short term but also the exchequer in the long term. It s a question of prioritising current resources to get maximum affect. The first budget of the new Partnership Government will be published this autumn as Ireland firmly emerges from a bitter recession which has left one in nine children living in consistent poverty. 13 Half a century on from Donogh O Malley s bold step towards greater educational equality, it s time for the Government to vindicate Irish children s constitutional right to free education. 13 Department of Social Protection (2016) Social Inclusion Monitor 2014 7 Barnardos 2016
Appendix 1: The Cost of Free Education Free School Books Removing Voluntary Contribution Free Classroom Resources Free School Transport Restoring Capitation Grant Level Total 2014/2015 Current Exchequer Funding 20m 0 0 163.5m 287m 470.5m Additional cost to make Primary Education free 20m 42m 19.5m 5m 16.7m 103.2m Additional cost to make Secondary Education free 20m 47m 19m 22.4m 18.5 126.9m Additional cost to make education free for all children 40m 89m 38.5m 27.4m 35.2m 230.1m 8 Barnardos 2016
Appendix 2: What you could buy for 103.2m 9 Barnardos 2016
Appendix 3: How free school books works in Northern Ireland The provision of free schools is granted under Section 128 of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989. It clearly states that: Neither the parent of any such pupil nor the pupil himself shall be required to pay for or supply any materials, books, instruments or other equipment for use for the purposes of or in connection with (a) education provided for the pupil at the school in respect of which by virtue of this Article no charge may be made; or (b) any specification for a public examination which is a specification for which the pupil has been prepared at the school. School books system in operation The Northern Ireland Department of Education's main areas of responsibility cover preschool, primary, post-primary and special education; the youth service; the promotion of community relations within and between schools; and teacher education and salaries. Education at a local level in Northern Ireland is administered by five Education and Library Boards covering different geographical areas. The role of the boards is to ensure that high quality education, youth and library support services exist throughout. Each board is allocated resources by the Department of Education. The Boards assist the schools in managing their budgets and provides a school improvement scheme for identified schools. Each school receives an annual capitation grant based on ratios etc. This funding covers all running costs of the school including salary costs, books and other resources. The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment (CCEA) sets the curriculum outlining the different areas to be covered in any given subject. The school has total autonomy to choose which textbooks to use in order to achieve the areas to be covered as identified by the CCEA. As a result there are no core text books in primary school and only a few in secondary schools as per the examination specifications. The publishers give the school a catalogue of the books they have available to meet the requirements. The different publishers would be aware of the budget available to the school and compete with each other offering a range of discounts in the interests of getting the business. The school decides which publisher to choose based on how effective the textbook is and its value for money. The teachers use a range of textbooks and worksheets. 10 Barnardos 2016