Mac Gill Summer School 23 July 2009

1. Mac Gill Summer School23 July 2009 Education and rebuilding the economy Only the best will be good enough Don Thornhill

2. Disclaimer!

3. Paper available www.competitiveness.ie/newsevents/events/ and www. Irisheconomy.ie

4. Education is about much more than economics..but for today

5. Can education contribute to rebuilding the economy? • Education is hugely important for competitiveness and for economic recovery • We should aspire to having one of the best education systems in the world • Outcomes, rather than inputs (such as funding levels and pupil teacher ratios), should be the focus of policy • Education spending cannot escape the need for fiscal adjustment – but must be a priority for policy

6. Three guidelines for policy and structure • Pay attention to teacher quality and professional development • Choice and contestability between schools and HEIs • Government should stand back from direct involvement in the management of schools and HEIs but should incentivise excellent outcomes -mainly through funding.

7. And ...... • Sustain the policy priority for education and research despite reduced overall resources, • Exploit the opportunities for greater engagement in international education…..and, don’t forget • Cherish and empower the teachers!

8. Education is hugely important for competitiveness and for economic recovery • We should aspire to having one of the best education systems in the world

9. Why one of the best? ..... at a time of fiscal stress? • Export success is the basis for our prosperity and capacity to deliver on social goals • Our businesses need to be among the most competitive • Knowledge is the key success factor

11. How good are our educational outcomes? Good ....but good enough?

12. Scientific, Mathematical and Reading Literacy of 15 year Olds, 2006

13. Mathematical and Reading Literacy of 15 year Olds, 2006 • Very good on reading • Reasonably good in science • And, just about average on mathematics

14. Population with a Third Level EducationBy Age Cohort, 2006

15. Performance of the Third Level Sector by Leading Institution (Scale 0-100), 2008

16. Investment: Expenditure per Student

17. Focusing on inputs can be a poor guide to policy and expenditure priorities • Lower class sizes do not automatically mean better student learning outcomes • Reducing class sizes is very expensive –risks deflecting resources from other priorities • Need to focus on other reforms which have greater potential for enhancing outcomes

18. Three guidelines for public policy • Pay relentless attention to teacher quality • Provide choice – stimulate competition and contestability between schools and HEIs • Government should use funding mechanisms which incentivise excellent outcomes

19. Teacher quality Strengths • Excellent entrants –entry is competitive • Our teachers are well paid and teaching is an attractive and prestigious profession

20. Challenges • Rigidities and inefficiencies • Responsibility for school management falls disproportionately on school principals

21. Strategies - 1 • Continued professional and in-service development – especially within schools. • Broaden entry possibilities • Appropriate exit arrangements

22. Strategies - 2 • Develop a comprehensive teacher contract encompassing all the dimensions of schooling and teaching • Empower school principals

23. Choice • A reality for many parents and students (particularly at third level)- contrast with many other countries • Paradoxical outcome – in light of history? • A contributory factor to relatively strong outcomes with limited resources?

24. Aspects of choice • Ethos • Other characteristics

25. Management (and ownership?) landscape is changing dramatically Options • Public sector ownership and management , OR • Strengthen pluralism and choice

26. Forum to plan future landscape?

27. A possible destination - 1? • Ownership of school properties vested in or leased to State • School patronage organisations (e.g. faith/ethos based, Educate Together, Gaelscoileanna, VECs etc) manage.

28. A possible destination -2? • DES needs assessment • Widely based and sophisticated consultation • Provide for minority choices and shared facilities

29. Key features • Distinction between ownership and management • No perpetual leases e.g 15 years? • Leases subject to satisfactory evaluation and community satisfaction

30. Funding • Most money follows the student – differentiated capitation and PTRs • Additional funding for meeting specified targets • Competitive funding for development projects- and special facilities

31. We have these features – strengthen them • Do not claw back institutional autonomy

32. Quality - 1 • NQF • Centralised quality assurance arrangements for third and fourth level • Continue to develop Whole School Inspection

33. Quality -2 • Strengthen “gold standard” reputation of Leaving Certificate • Greater international benchmarking of Leaving Certificate

34. Internationalisation – a missed opportunity? At third level Ireland 6.8% UK 14.1% Australia 17.8% New Zealand 15.5% RCSI only HEI with major international footprint

35. Research, Development and Innovation

37. The importance of consistency • Corporate taxation • Education access • Investment in knowledge Any perceived weakening of our commitment runs the risk of long run damage to our competitiveness and could seriously impair national recovery.

38. Thank you

39. Time spent in school - early School LeaversAged 18-24, 2007

40. Tuition hours for Mathematics and Science9-11 year olds, 2006

41. Integrating ICT and Learning

42. Ratio of Students to Teaching Staff in Primary Education, 2006

43. Ratio of Students to Teaching Staff in Second Level Education Institutions, 2006