TUI: Investment vital to cope with rising student numbers
17/10/2009 - 10:33:22The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) says student numbers will increase by almost 100,000 in the coming years and investment will be needed to cope with the additional pressures.
The union is hosting a conference on education investment in Dublin today.
It says demographics clearly show that 5,000 additional students will come into the system every year for the next 20 years.
This will push the total secondary-school student population up by around one-third.
The TUI says the increase will cause unprecedented pressure and, without further investment, drop-out rates will reach crisis levels.
"Ultimately, failure to invest appropriately in education will result in the Department being in clear breach of its mission statement of enabling individuals to achieve their full potential and to participate fully as members of society and to contribute to Ireland's social, cultural and economic development," said TUI general secretary Peter MacMenamin.
"We urge Government to take on board the consistent message from the broad spectrum of interests speaking today – employers, educationalists, economists, parents and trade unionists – and commit to increasing investment in our education system."
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