1. Community Education Facilitators National Training Galway, 13th and 14th November 2006
From Educational Disadvantage to Educational Equality Community-based Education and wider Policy Issues Trutz Haase

2. The Concept of Educational Disadvantage
The Education Act 1998 (Section 32.9) defines educational disadvantage as “the impediments to education arising from social or economic disadvantage which prevent students from deriving appropriate benefits from education in schools”.

3. Historical Perspective
A generation ago, more than 55% of the age cohort had left school by the age of 15 and only 20% of the age cohort completed second level education.
Today, about 3% of the cohort leave before completing junior cycle and over 80% sit a Leaving Certificate.
Over 85% of these proceed to some form of further or higher education or training.

4. Current Level of Early School Leaving
Between 700 and 1,000 young people do not transfer from primary to second level.
Of those who enter second level, about 2,400 (3.2%) do not stay on to sit the Junior Cert. 3 years later.
About 10,600 of those who sit Junior Cert. do not stay on to sit Leaving Cert. Half of these leave formal education after the Junior Cert.
In all, at the end of the 1990s, about 13,000 young people (18.4% of the cohort) are leaving school annually without the Leaving Cert.
(Department of Education & Science )

5. The Need for a multi-faceted approach to more inclusive Education
There is widespread recognition within OECD countries that successful initiatives to respond to the problem of educational disadvantage require integration of and collaboration between statutory and voluntary agencies and between educators / trainers and parents and their communities.
(OECD Overcoming Failure in School, 1998)

6. Changes in Approach to Learning
Towards a seamless delivery of integrated and
co-ordinated approaches spanning four axes:
Individual
Family / Community
School
Training, further education and work
(NESF Early School Leavers , 2002)

7. Approaches: Individual
Literacy and Numeracy
Self-esteem and Confidence Building
Provision for special needs
Culturally appropriate education
Attainment of core competencies

8. Approaches: Family / Community
Addressing basic rights for food, clothing and shelter
Family support and Parenting
Effective Partnership between formal and non-formal sectors
Networking and Integrated Development
Empowerment

9. Approaches: School Pre-school provision
Teaching Supports and School Resources
Tracking (incl. primary and second level transfer)
Out-of-School Support
Parental Involvement
Curriculum Flexibility
Achievement Awards
Whole School Approach

10. Approaches: Training, Further Education and Work
Lifelong Learning
In-Work training
Opportunities for Continuing / Second Chance Education
Education / Work Transitions
Vocational Pathways and Skills Credits
Work / Education Links

11. Current Interventions: Early Childhood Education
Centre for Early Childhood Education and Care
Early Start
Rutland Street Project
Traveller pre-school Education
Special Needs – Early Childhood Services

12. Current Interventions: Primary Level (selective headings)
Giving Children an Even Break / Breaking the Cycle
Disadvantaged Areas Scheme
Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL)
Learning Support/ Resource Teachers
Education of Non-nationals
Book Grant Scheme
Traveller Education

13. Current Interventions: Second Level (selective headings)
Disadvantaged Areas Scheme
Support Teachers/Special Needs Assistants
Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL)
Learning Support/ Resource Teachers
Education of Non-nationals
Book Grant Scheme
Exam Fees Exemptions
Traveller Education
Substance Misuse Prevention

14. Current Interventions: (selective headings)
School Completion Programme (Primary and Post-Primary)
National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS)
Youth
Youth Services
Senior traveller Training Centres
Youthreach

15. Current Interventions: Further Education (selective headings)
Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS)
Post Leaving Certificate courses (PLCs)
Access to Third Level
Millenium Partnership Fund for Disadvantage

16. Current Interventions: Adult Education
Adult Literacy
Education Equality Initiative (EEI)
Community Education
Back to Education Initiative

17. Moving from Alleviating Educational Disadvantage to greater Educational Equality…
There are now some 60 initiatives in place to help alleviate Educational Disadvantage.
There is no doubt that educational standards have massively improved throughout Ireland over the past two decades.
But questions remain as to the relative life chances afforded to individuals and communities:
Educational achievements (depending on social class) have remained highly differentiated.
Access to third level education remains highly differentiated.
Requirements to access jobs have increased.
Overall improvement in educational outcomes may thus not have contributed much to alleviating education inequalities.

18. Assessing Outcomes: Coombes’ Definition of Deprivation
Relative Deprivation
“The fundamental implication of the term deprivation is of an absence – of essential or desirable attributes, possessions and opportunities which are considered no more than the minimum by that society.”
(Coombes et al., 1995: p.5)

19. The Underlying Dimensions of Social Disadvantage
Demographic Decline
population loss and the social and demographic effects of prolonged population loss (age dependency, low education of adult population)
Social Class Deprivation
social class composition, education, housing comfort
Labour Market Deprivation
unemployment, lone parents, low skills base

20. The Model of Disadvantage
Age Dependency Rate 1
Demographic d
Population Change
Decline 2 d
Primary Education Only 3 d
Third Level Education 4 d
Professional Classes 5
Social Class
Disadvantage d
Persons per Room 6 d
Single Parent Households 7 d
Semi/Unskilled Manual Classes 8
Lab. Mkt. d
Deprivation
Male Unemployment Rate 9 d
Female Unemployment Rate 10

21. Comparison of Absolute Deprivation Scores 1991, 1996 and 2002
1991 to 2002: unprecedented growth in Ireland
1991 – 1996: increase of +7
1996 – 2002: increase of +8
Note: marginally narrowing shape of distribution (i.e. more equal)

22. Relative Affluence and Deprivation 2002
1991
1996
2002
Haase & Pratschke 2003
Trutz Haase
Social & Economic Consultant

23. Comparison of Relative Deprivation Scores 1991, 1996 and 2002
For the country as a whole:
Virtually no differences in the distribution of relative deprivation
Only Exception:
Dublin’s Inner City
The report Deprivation and its Spatial Articulation in the Republic of Ireland can be downloaded from the following web address:

24. Deprivation – Educational Equality and Intergenerational Class Mobility
To substantially enhance the intergenerational class mobility and educational equality will require a fundamental restructuring of the Irish educational system, notably a shift from the high expenditure on third level education towards greater expenditure at pre-school and primary levels.
The current initiatives in adult and community-based education are not only important in as much as they provide second chance education for cohorts that have been failed by the education system in the past,
they also constitute important services to communities and families where it is of utmost importance to enhance school retention amongst the next school-going generation, and
if properly evaluated, can provide the necessary pointers how to reform the mainstream education system in such a way as to make it more attractive and accommodating for those who are currently at risk of not achieving their full educational potential.

25. The Back to Education Initiative: Intent
The BTEI will make a major contribution to building the capacity of the formal education sector to meet the changing needs of individuals, communities and society. This will only happen if a clear agenda for change in how the initiative is perceived, planned, delivered and evaluated is implemented from the outset.
The top priorities of the BTEI part time programme are to address:
The low literacy levels of the Irish adult population;
The large numbers of Irish adults (1.1.m aged 15-64) who have not completed upper second-level education, of whom 529,600 have not completed lower second-level;
The inflexibility of the Irish education system, with its predominant emphasis on full-time provision: time specific entry and exit opportunities;
The difficulties in combining family, personal and work responsibilities with learning opportunities;
(DE&S: Circular Letter ‘Back to Education Initiative, 2002)

26. Key Challenges in the Delivery and Evaluation of Adult and Community-based Education
The immense variety in the Projects with regard to:
the target groups involved
the kind of disadvantage(s) experienced
the contexts within which the projects operate
The generally local focus of the Projects involved:
Projects tend to be overwhelmed by the task they face
Projects tend to focus on the innovative delivery of services but more emphasis is needed for the systematic evaluation of their work in a comparative setting
Evaluation will be of utmost importance in an environment based on increasingly evidence-based policy formulation.

27. Key Questions that have (largely) been addressed
How do we define educational disadvantage and what is its relationship to wider social and economic inequalities?
Which social groups are facing particular barriers to education and suffer as a result of this?
What are the specific needs of each of these groups and with regard to each educational setting?
What strategies can be devised to assist these groups in overcoming the barriers to education?

28. Strategies (general)
Enhancing Access (Access, Skills, Confidence, Awareness)
Outreach work
Initial learning activities
Improved Delivery (Content, Participation, Certification)
Content relevance
Flexible provision
Availability of skilled tutors
Multiple Intelligence approach
Accreditation
Support Services
Guidance
Transport
Allowances
Creche facilities / elder care
Literacy
Language tuition
(Note: List only indicative, not meant to be comprehensive)

29. The Paths towards Greater Educational Inclusion
Pre-school and Primary Education
Low SES
Access
Difficult family situations
Secondary Education
Skills
Disabilities
Further Education
Confidence
Community –based / Adult Education
Ethnic minorities
Travellers
Awareness
Lifelong Learning
Educational Institutions and Strategies re Access, Delivery & Support Structures
Target Groups
Dimensions to be addressed

30. Key Questions that need to be addressed now
How can we measure improvements in access to education in the context of the existing initiatives?
How can we measure advances in terms of access to the labour market / access to information / improvements in quality of life as a result of participation in the projects/initiatives?
What lessons can be learned from the projects/initiatives in order to improve the access of these groups to mainstream (adult) education provision?
How can auditing mechanisms be devised for the equality-proofing of wider (adult) education measures?