Irish Vocational Education Association

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IVEA Welcomes Forum Proposals to Phase Divestment of Schools
17 November 2011
The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) has welcomed the phased approach to the divestment of schools put forward by the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector in its public session today.
"This 'toe-in-the-water' approach will afford the education partners opportunities to assess how the new approach to diversity in patronage beds down in an Irish context," said IVEA General Secretary Michael Moriarty.
"The monitoring of parental demand and the models for assessing this demand proposed by the Advisory Group will need further careful consideration," he commented.
The Advisory Group has proposed an area-based approach for those 47 catchment areas which have been identified by the Department of Education and Skills for divestment of schools.
"The focus on clusters of schools is far preferable and less divisive than a focus on one school," stated Mr Moriarty.
There has been broad welcome from the Advisory Group for the school campus model as a mechanism for providing diversity.
"Our members VECs have already piloted such campuses, with colleges and gaelscoileanna and community national schools sharing grounds and facilities. With the devolution of building projects to VECs, there are considerable opportunities for the further development of this model," Mr Moriarty stated.
IVEA will now be considering a detailed response to the Forum's proposals.
The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) is the representative body for the 33 Vocational Educational Committees (VECs) in Ireland, and works to protect, promote and enhance the interests of vocational education and training within the wider education sector and the country at large.
VECs deliver a wide range of educational services, from managing Community National Schools, second-level schools and colleges, Post Leaving Certificate colleges (PLCs) and education centres to providing training programmes for Travellers, adult literacy courses, prisoner education services, Youthreach programmes, Vocational Training Opportunities Schemes, and community education programmes.
VEC PLCs have developed a range of programmes and courses in response to the needs of industry and commerce which are certified by FETAC at levels 3 to 6, and by the professional bodies which set standards for entry into the professions.
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