Primary Principals welcome plan to integrate education services.

 
The announcement today by The Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Seán Haughey, TD, to create a new, single coordinated School Support Programme from next September was welcomed by the Irish Primary Principals’ Network.

The plan, as announced, will merge the Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL), the School Completion Programme (SCP) and the Visiting Teachers Service for Travellers (VTST) under a single management agency - the National Education Welfare Board (NEWB).

It is understood that this measure will not result in any diminution of staff or funding for these services but will achieve greater efficiencies through coordinated management and pooled resources.

Sean Cottrell, Director of IPPN said:
“This is exactly the type of action Principals called for at our conference in January – the alignment and re-structuring of services which overlap in their dealings with schools.  Principals will welcome this measure particularly if it reduces duplicated requests for information and bureaucratic administration. 

However, we need assurances that this merging of presently underfunded vital supports will – in fact – result in a better way of supporting children and families at risk of failing in school.

Principals will want to see that the supportive role of HSCL, SCP and VTST will be maintained.  One of the main criticisms that principals have of the NEWB is that it adds greatly to administration at school level without making any appreciable impact on improving school attendance for children at risk.

We will be delighted to work with NEWB to make the experience of Principals in over 3,000 schools available to help ensure that the new co-coordinated service will be effective."

The Irish Primary Principals'' Network (http://www.ippn.ie/) is the officially recognised professional body for the Principals and Deputy Principals of Primary Schools. IPPN is an official Education Partner, which means it has consultative status with the Department of Education and Science and other education agencies.  IPPN articulates the collective knowledge and professional experience of 6,600 Principals and Deputy Principals and the day-to-day reality of over 500,000 children being educated in Ireland’s 3,300 Primary Schools.