The impact of the cuts in education in recent budgets is resulting in more and more families, and now schools, approaching the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) for financial assistance.
To help alleviate the hardship on families the SVP is asking teachers and publishers not to introduce or recommend new textbook changes for the school year beginning next September.
The SVP will provide in the region of €3.5m in assistance with education costs this year. In the past this assistance would have primarily been directed to families but increasingly schools are being assisted. This is borne out by a survey published this week by the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland that shows that over 50% of the schools surveyed have had to seek additional funding from increasing ’voluntary contributions’ by parents or from other sources such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.
With over 437,000 people out of work the SVP is finding more and more families seeking its help in meeting school costs.
“We know from our discussions with them that teachers are very concerned at the impact education costs are having on families, particularly the most disadvantaged,” said SVP national president Mairead Bushnell.
“One of the education costs the SVP is extremely concerned about is the cost of frequent changes in school textbooks. The SVP has met with the teachers unions to seek the support of their members at this week’s conferences for curtailing changes in school textbooks for the next school year beginning in September.
“We are also asking schoolbook publishers not to publish new editions unless there is a curriculum change,” she said.
Changing schoolbooks when there are no curriculum changes is unnecessary, according to the SVP. In particular at second level.
“We understand the benefit of keeping schoolbooks up-to-date, fresh and interesting for pupils. But in these straitened times we are asking everyone involved to help take the pressure off families by not selecting new editions unless it is absolutely essential. This will ensure that books can be passed down in families, exchanged, reused in rental schemes or bought second hand,” said Ms Bushnell.
In the area of education the SVP is involved in providing direct services such as homework clubs, funding breakfast clubs, organising revision classes and working directly with schools to support disadvantaged pupils. It also works directly with families through home visitation.
“The Society of St Vincent de Paul Society sees at first hand just how important it is for children to be supported, encouraged and facilitated to access education,” said Ms Bushnell.
“The majority of SVP volunteers experience the stress, anger and hopelessness of parents who simply cannot afford the back to school and ongoing costs of school for their children. And we know the corrosive and long term damage this anxiety can have on a families’ attitude towards education”, she said.