Students 'should see school inspectors' reports'
Young people are entitled to access inspectors’ reports on schools, the National Youth Federation said today.
Ireland’s largest youthwork organisation agreed with the Education Minister’s comments that students should be allowed to see balanced information on how their school is performing.
A Dublin school principal yesterday won a Supreme Court action blocking the Information Commissioner from releasing school inspectors’ reports on academic success in schools to the Irish Times newspaper.
Last night Education Minister Mary Hanafin revealed plans to proceed with making this information available despite the court ruling.
National Youth Federation chief executive Diarmuid Kearney said the general issue of school evaluation by inspectors is a much more sophisticated way of measuring schools than crude ‘league tables’ which it disapproved of.
“Increasingly education is about partnership, we must see young people as full and equal partners in the management of our education system.
“School Councils have been a major step forward in this involvement but it needs to go further, education is obviously a key element in young peoples lives - it must involve more than just parents and teachers,” he added.
The principal of Scoil Choilm, Crumlin, Barney Sheedy, was yesterday appealing against the High Court’s refusal to overturn the Commissioner’s decision to release the reports.
The Supreme Court found that legislation allowed the Education Minister to refuse access to any information which would allow the academic achievements of students in schools to be compiled and compared.
Primary schools are visited by Department of Education inspectors every five years who then compile a report and send it back to the school.
Ms. Hanafin said last night: “Unlike league tables, which tell us little about the wide range of work that schools undertake, school inspection reports provide balanced evaluations on the work of schools.
“In this context, I am convinced that wider availability of school inspection reports, rather than crude league tables, could be very beneficial for students, teachers, parents and schools.”
The issue came before the courts when The Irish Times looked for some of these reports under the Freedom of Information Act.
The Information Officer initially allowed their request and was supported by the High Court. However, the Supreme Court has overturned that ruling.
It has ruled that the minister’s right to prevent the release of information, which could lead to the creation of league tables, includes the right to stop the publication of inspector’s reports.
The National Parents Council has said it was surprised by the decision and called for more openness.
Ms Hanafin, has said that although she is against the creation of league tables, she will now look at ways of using these reports to give more information to parents.
