PROPOSAL ON PARENT & STUDENT CHARTER WELCOME

Commenting on the publication of the draft Bill to introduce a new Parent and Student Charter, Labour spokesperson on Education, Joan Burton TD, said:

“It is most welcome that legislation providing for the operation of a Parent and Student Charter has finally been published, since it was first committed to by former Labour Education Minister Ruairi Quinn at the National Parents Council National Conference in 2014, and advanced by my colleague Jan O’Sullivan.

“The Labour Party has always placed education at the heart of its priorities, and in Government, we provided over €2 billion euro for new school buildings, as well as delivering the first improvements to literacy and numeracy in a generation.

“Ruairi Quinn first proposed the Parent and Student Charter to strengthen the position of parents within the school system, and to bring about a culture change in how schools involve parents and students.

“The National Parents Council have campaigned for such a Charter for some time, and Minister Quinn had proposed to include an amendment within the Admissions to School Bill to amend Section 28 of the Education Act.

“I look forward to seeing this fulfilled and analysing the new Bill with my colleagues on the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills.”

“However I’m disappointed that the Minister has bottled it on ensuring pupil’s voices are included in the Boards of Schools, particulary at second level which has become a feature of many schools across the country.

ENDS