Education at a Glance 07/09/10

OECD Report Published Today

Tuesday, 7 September 2010

Statement by Sheila Nunan, General Secretary, Irish National Teachers’ Organisation on Education at a Glance 2010

Ireland’s education spending fourth lowest of OECD countries

Education at a Glance 2010, an OECD report on national education systems published today, shows Ireland’s educational expenditure to be the fourth lowest of 31 OECD countries.

The report shows that on average OECD countries spend 6.2% of GDP on education. Ireland spends 4.7% on education, a figure that exceeds only three countries - the Czech Republic, Italy and Slovakia. The report also shows Irish spending on education has fallen back significantly since 1995 when the country invested 5.2% of GDP on education.

The report shows that average annual expenditure on a second level student is 30% higher than at primary while annual average spending on a third level student is nearly double what is spent on a primary pupil.

“For every 7 euro spent on a primary pupil, 9 is spent on second level and 12 is spent on third level,” said Sheila Nunan, general secretary of the INTO. (Page 202) She said this was the reason Irish parents had to subsidise their children’s schools.

The INTO said low spending on primary education was directly responsible for large class sizes, inadequate secretarial and caretaking services, non-existent library services and underdeveloped back up services such as school attendance, medical and psychological services.

Education at a Glance 2010 shows Irish class sizes are among the highest in the OECD and the second highest in the EU. On average there are 24 pupils in Irish classrooms compared to an EU average of 20. Smallest classes are to be found in Luxembourg where there are on average 15 pupils per class. The largest classes are to be found in England and Wales. (Page 386)

The report also examines teachers’ salaries across the OECD countries but does not take account of the pension levy and pay cuts imposed on Irish teachers last year which amounted to an average 14 percent cut in salary levels. When this reduction in salary is taken into account the starting salary of an Irish primary teacher is slightly below the OECD and EU 19 average. (Page 402)

The INTO said the report shows that Irish primary teachers are among the most productive in the EU. “Irish primary teachers do 152 hours more teaching per year than the EU average (Page 416). Irish primary teachers teach on average twenty percent more pupils than their EU counterparts (Page 386). Irish pupils get more lesson time in primary school than in any EU country, nearly twice as much as in Finland and Germany,” said Ms Nunan (Page 372).

“The salaries of Irish teachers must be seen in this context,” said Ms Nunan. “Irish primary teachers teach more children for more time every year than in most other countries. They turn below average government investment in education into above average outcomes for pupils.”

The report confirms that the hourly pay rates for Irish primary teachers, when last year’s salary cuts are factored in, are at EU 19 and OECD averages and significantly behind England Denmark and Germany (Page 403). This does not take into account the additional children taught by Irish teachers because of large class sizes in primary schools.

Ms Nunan said the report showed opposition to education cutbacks was entirely justified. “Irish primary education is significantly underfunded and under-resourced. Teachers and parents are rightly outraged when they see less than adequate funding for the education of young children being cut in order to rescue failed economic policies.”

Education at a Glance 2010 states education spending can foster economic growth, enhance productivity, contribute to personal and social development, and reduce social inequality. Relative to GDP, expenditure on educational institutions shows the priority a country gives to education in terms of its available resources. (Page 210) “Ireland’s low rank in terms of education spending shows the low priority the Irish government gives to education,” said Ms Nunan.  ENDS