Centenary Seminar on Equality in Education

The SIPTU-ASTI Centenary Seminar on Equality in Education ‘Springboard or Trap Door ?  Is Our Education System Making Our Children More or Less Equal ?’ took place in Liberty Hall on Saturday 28th November. Guest Speakers were Dr Paul Downes, Director of St Patrick’s College’s Educational Disadvantage Centre, Ms. Sheila Nunan, General Secretary of the INTO, and Professor Tom Collins, Vice-President for External Affairs, NUI Maynooth.

The session was chaired by Mr Joe Moran, President of the ASTI. Panel respondents included Mr Mike Jennings, General Secretary of IFUT, with Mr John White, General Secretary, ASTI, offering the opening address and Mr Jack O’Connor, President of ICTU, General President, SIPTU, providing the closing remarks.

Dr Downes’ presentation ‘Steps, Measures and Programmes for Equality’ emphasised the key role of the teachers’ unions historically in developing initiatives for equality in education and argued that they need to play a leading part in driving future interventions in this area, specifically, regarding the need for a comprehensive national mental health strategy for contexts of disadvantage.

 

 

Last Updated: Thursday December 03 2009