Education groups at primary level, including An Foras Pátrúnachta, have joined forces to form the National Alliance for Primary Education. The Alliance comprises management, parents, teachers and principals. The aim of the Alliance is to call on the government to halt plans to cut primary education in this year’s budget.
The National Alliance believes that any attempt to cut primary education is a direct attack on children and their constitutional right to education. The group believes that the children of today and tomorrow should not be forced to pay for the country’s current financial troubles.
A postcard campaign targeted at TDs is being organised by the National Alliance and is to start this week. All schools have been informed of the campaign against the cuts and postcards will be sent to schools. Families of primary school children will be asked to send the postcards to all their TD’s urging them to resist cuts to primary education in the budget.
“We have to protect our children’s rights,” said Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, General Secretary of An Foras Pátrúnachta.
“Damage should not be done to the education provided to children. There is a direct link between every cutback in the system – is doesn’t matter where it is made – and the education that the children in our schools receive.
“If cutbacks are made to the education budget, that is a choice which is being made by the government, a choice that they are happy to accept this damage. We are making a plea to them not to make that choice.”
You can download a copy of the postcard here.
Tá eagraíochtaí oideachais ag leibhéal bunscoile, An Foras Pátrúnachta san áireamh, tar éis teacht le chéile chun an ‘An Chomhghuaillíocht d’Oideachas Bunscoile’ a chruthú. Eagraíochtaí bainistíochta, tuismitheoirí, múinteoirí agus príomhoidí atá mar chuid den Chomhghuallaíocht. Is é aidhm na Comhghuaillíochta ná brú a chur ar an rialtas deireadh a chur lena bpleananna, ciorruithe ar oideachas bunscoile a dhéanamh sa cháinaisnéis.
Creideann an Chomhghuaillíocht Náisiúnta gur ionsaí díreach ar pháistí agus ar a gcearta bunreachta d’oideachas a bheadh ann. Creideann an grúpa nár cheart go mbeadh páistí na linne seo agus an chéad ghlúin eile thíos mar thoradh ar dheacrachtaí airgeadais na tíre.
Cuirfear tús le feachtas atá eagraithe ag an gComhghuaillíocht agus atá dírithe ar Theachtaí Dála, an tseachtain seo. Bainfear úsáid as cártaí poist. Tá scoileanna ar an eolas faoi seo cheana féin agus cuirfear cártaí poist chucu go luath.
Iarrfar ar thuismitheoirí pháistí bunscoile cártaí poist a líonadh isteach agus a chur ar aghaidh go Teachtaí Dála chun spreagadh a thabhairt dóibh oideachas bunscoile a chosaint sa Cháinaisnéis.
“Caithfear cearta ár bpáistí a chosaint,” arsa Caoimhín Ó hEaghra, Ard Rúnaí ar an bhForas Pátrúnachta.
“Ní chóir go ndéanfaí dochar don oideachas atá á sholáthar do pháistí. Tá ceangal dhíreach idir gach gearradh siar sa chóras – is cuma cén áit – agus an t-oideachas a fhaigheann na daltaí inár scoileanna.
“Má dhéantar ciorruithe ar an mbuiséad oideachais, is rogha é sin atá á dhéanamh ag an rialtas. Rogha go bhfuil siad sásta glacadh leis an damáiste seo. Táimid ag iarraidh agus ag impí orthu gan an rogha sin a dhéanamh.”
Is féidir an cárta poist a íoslódáil anseo.