Strengthening Secondary Education

We will revitalise and restore secondary education to increase access and equality.

Strengthening Secondary Education

At second level, the previous government allowed educational inequality between the most advantaged and most disadvantaged students to widen through cuts to a number of key education supports and programmes, including guidance counselling in schools, the DEIS Programme and the School Completion Programme.

The Fianna Fáil party, who founded these programmes, believes that they should be restored and given greater support.

Fianna Fáil’s plan to support secondary schools

Fully restore guidance counselling

The role of guidance counselling is critical, broadening students’ future education and career path choices.
Expand and reform the DEIS programme

While DEIS has been effective in narrowing the gap between disadvantaged students and those from more privileged backgrounds, more work needs to be done to bring the most disadvantaged urban DEIS schools in line with all other schools.
Increase supports to the School Completion Programme

This programme has been identified as a model of best practice as a targeted programme that increases retention rates in schools and reduces educational disadvantage.
Equalise Secondary School funding

We believe that the current practice of schools being maintained by voluntary grants is inequitable and not conducive to an efficiently functioning school system.