Education costs a 'barrier' to struggling families
School books should be free and voluntary contributions should be abolished as calls for help with education costs increase for the third year in a row.
That’s according to voluntary charity organisation St Vincent de Paul (SVP) who said that calls for help from struggling families have increased by four per cent this summer.
Last week SVP took between 250 and 300 calls per day from parents worried about the mounting financial strain of putting their children through school.
“Access to education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty but if children don’t have the right materials for learning or if they feel different from their peers, that has a really big impact on their progression and experiences in school. We strongly believe that all children should have access to quality, free primary and secondary education,” said Kieran Stafford, SVP National President.
The increase comes after the charity reported a 20 per cent jump in requests for help with school costs in 2018. The smaller rise in calls this year may suggest that the increase in the Back to School Clothing and Footwear Allowance in 2019 has lifted some of the pressure on struggling families.
However, with requests increasing for a third year in a row, SVP said that much greater investment in the education system is needed so that costs aren’t a “barrier to participation” at primary and secondary level.
Last week the charity has put forward a number of proposals to immediately alleviate much of the financial stress on parents in a submission made to a Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills.
The first proposal is to make school books free across all primary and secondary schools that would begin with a €20 million investment in Budget 2020.
Marcella Stakem, SVP Policy Officer, said: “If school books were free, it would significantly reduce the financial stress placed on parents and ensure that all pupils, irrespective of the household income, could access the educational resources required to participate and progress with their education.”
The second proposal is to end the voluntary contribution system in all non-fee paying primary and secondary schools and to restore capitation grants to 2010 levels in Budget 2020.
SVP is also asking that the Department of Education and Skills establish a working group to examine the use of digital devices in schools, including the cost impact on parents.
In 2017 SVP spent €3.6 million on education, supporting children and young people at pre-school, primary, secondary and third level.
“Education is a powerful predictor of life chances in adulthood. If we really want all children and young people to have access to good opportunities, we have to stop making cost a barrier to participation,” concluded Ms Stakem.