Educationally disadvantaged Inver pupils deserve better deal - Exclusion from DEIS programme a disgrace

Tuesday, 10 January 2012 13:05

Written by Tom Gillespie

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THE chairman of the board of management at Inver National School in north Mayo, Sean Rowley, last week issued a heart-felt plea to Oireachtas representatives to revisit a situation, which has resulted in the pupils at the school being one of the most educationally disadvantaged in the country.

Because of the failure of a former principal to apply for vital Delivering Equality In Schools (DEIS) funding, the Gaeltacht school has not been drawing down the cash.

The issue was highlighted by The Connaught Telegraph, prompting Mr. Rowley to issue a statement on behalf of the board of management.

In it he accepted mistakes were made in 2005 and responsibility has been apportioned.

Since then, he said, no stone had been left unturned in trying to redress the situation.

He explained that DEIS funding is intended to bridge the gap by giving children from disadvantaged areas a fairer start to their primary education. DEIS would have meant better funding and grants and an extra teacher for the school.

It was pointed out that the social conditions that made Inver an educationally disadvantaged area since 1992 were still present.

Statistics from the 2006 Census for the Electoral District of Knocknalower even strengthened the case further.

The facts and statistics were presented to all Mayo TDs on a number of occasions. They did their best at department level but the school remains excluded even though every other school in the Erris area continues to benefit from the programme.

It is now time to redress the situation and have the school included in the DEIS programme.

Why should the students be disadvantaged because of the mistake of a former principal?

Surely, if the school is entitled to be included in the programme under the guidelines, then the department should rectify the position.

It cannot be too difficult to see if every other school in Erris qualifies for DEIS so should Inver.

As Mr. Rowley pointed out, this glaring anomaly against some of the most vulnerable little citizens must be righted.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister of State Michael Ring are both fully briefed on the Inver difficulty and we would appeal to them to use their influence to have the department add the school to the DEIS list.

The young pupils deserve the best chance during their short few years in primary school and should without doubt get the same concessions as other youngsters across Erris.

Machnamh na Seachtaine

Weekly Reflection

Trí nithe nach buan – bó bhán, bean bhreán agus teach ar árd.

Three things that are not lasting – a white cow, a handsome woman and a house on a height.