The campaign ‘Stand Up for Education’ is also calling on the Government to refrain from targeting education for further cuts in the December budget, and to reverse cuts imposed over the past year as soon as possible.

The campaign is being sponsored by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) and supported by the National Parents Association for Vocational Schools and Community Colleges (NPAVSCC). 

NPAVSCC secretary Jackie O’Callaghan said the initiative is highlighting the need for a longterm commitment to greater investment in education. Ireland currently spends  4.7 per cent of GDP on education which is well below the OECD average of 5.7 per cent. Countries such as Denmark, Iceland, Korea and the US are spending in excess of 7 per cent.

“While significantly increased investment in education may be unrealistic at present given the current income deficit, we nonetheless advocate that there be an agreement to increase the education budget to 7 per cent of GDP over a period of time to be agreed,” Ms. O’Callaghan said.

TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin welcomed the reversal of some of the cuts in the recently announced revised programme for Government but said that it did not go by any means far enough towards planning appropriately for education in the future.

“The new programme did not address the funding cuts in Higher Education, nor did it address the critical and artificial shortage of places in Further Education colleges and Post Leaving Cert (PLC) courses caused by the imposition of a cap on places in spite of hugely increased demand,” he said. 

“Economic recovery needs a change in thinking in Irish politics: We need to work together towards A smarter future for all. Education is the key to this future and to our economic recovery. It must be safeguarded as an equal right for all children, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”

Ms. O’Callaghan stressed that there are alternatives to the current menu of cuts which the Government is proposing.

“We have been railroaded into thinking that cuts to our public services is the only way to tackle our economic deficit. We believe that we need a wider debate on our values and direction as a society.

“We believe that the fairest and smartest option is to radically review how the taxation system works, distribute wealth and opportunity more equally in our society and protect frontline services. We believe that those who earn most - in either the public or private sector - should contribute most, according to their means.”

For more information on the campaign visit www.standupforeducation.ie