13th November 2020
The INTO has made a submission on the development of the Department of Education’s Strategy Statement 2021-23 and the Action Plan for Education 2021. The INTO has outlined its priorities under the goals identified by the DE, and noted the commitments in the programme for government in areas including curriculum, special education, educational disadvantage, school leadership and reducing class sizes.
The department’s statement of strategy for 2021-23 must reflect not only the key role played by primary education in our society, but also the critical role played by teachers. It must also be informed by a strong commitment to meaningful stakeholder engagement, an approach which has underpinned the work on the safe reopening of schools.
The INTO submission also cites the evidence of the high performance of the primary education system, despite underfunding and underinvestment. The challenge for the DE and the minister in achieving further success lies not only in a strategic approach, but in securing resources to make those aspirations a reality.