Ms Áine Lynch:

I thank the committee for the invitation to attend.

In 2012, the National Parents Council, NPC, made a submission to the then Minister for Education, requesting a strengthening of the role of parents in the Education Act. The research overwhelmingly supports the benefits of parents' involvement in their children's education. Before making its submission to the Minister in 2012, the NPC examined the status of parents and parental involvement in the Irish primary education system. A significant amount of policy supporting parental involvement ranging from the literacy and numeracy for learning and life strategy, to school inspection procedures and many other policy areas was evident from this examination. However, despite the range of policies and procedures that have been developed that reinforce parental involvement in schools, parents consistently report to the NPC that they do not feel supported to be involved in the key partnership role they have in their children's education.

The NPC examined the legislation regarding parental involvement and further examined directives to schools in the form of circulars issued. Irish legislation, namely the Education Act, gives express rights to parents and responsibilities to school boards of management in supporting parents. However, compared to other jurisdictions, Irish legislation is quite limiting in its reach, in particular in regard to school planning regarding parental involvement. The legislation does not provide in depth direction to schools. However, Circular 24/91, "Parents as partners in education", issued by the Department of Education and Skills, did give clear guidance to schools in regard to the involvement of parents in their children's education.

The circular contained a number of key instructions for schools regarding their role in working with parents as partners in schools. The NPC wished to learn to what extent parents had experienced the benefits of the implementation of the circular in their school and therefore initiated a survey to its membership to assess the impact for parents of Circular 24/91. Broadly, this is the background to how we came at the parent and student charter, and we welcome the general scheme of the education (parent and student charter) Bill. The Bill broadly encapsulates the submissions and representations the NPC has made to the Department of Education and Skills and the Ministers over the past five years. We know that when parents are engaged and involved in their children’s education the children do better, and creating the right environment and culture in a school for parents and children to be active partners in school life is critical to this involvement. The NPC believes the general scheme of the education (parent and student charter) Bill 2016 provides the legislative basis for the necessary change in schools to take place.

The NPC welcomes the statement of statutory principles under head 3 and agrees with all of the principles as laid out. The NPC requests the inclusion of an additional principle, or the extension of the first principle, reflecting the values in the second principle. This would give acknowledgement to the importance of the students' voice and participation in their own learning and progress. This part of the Bill gives this to parents but we feel it could also be given to students.

The NPC supports the inclusion of head 4 and believes it is vital the Minister has powers to direct school boards to comply with the guidelines on the parent and student charter. The NPC's survey in 2012 showed a lack of awareness by parents of Circular 24/91 on parents as partners in education, and furthermore showed parents did not experience the provisions contained in the circular. For example, Circular 24/91 states each national school is required to establish as part of its overall school policy or plan, a clearly defined written policy for productive parental involvement. The response from parents when asked if they knew whether their school had a parental involvement policy was that only 17% said they knew that their school did so. It is vital that any legislation developed in this area is robust in ensuring parents and students are able to experience the benefits of its provisions.

The NPC particularly welcomes the expanded role of the Ombudsman for Children as set out in the general scheme. The Education (Amendment) Bill 2015 is useful in setting out the challenges and possible way forward in addressing them. The NPC believes the expanded role of the Ombudsman for Children, as set out in the education (parent and student charter) Bill, addresses the issues raised in the Education (Amendment) Bill and negates the need for a separate ombudsman for education. The Education (Amendment) Bill drew attention to the deficiencies in the system that resulted in parents and students feeling they had nowhere to go with concerns and complaints if they felt their issues had not been addressed at school level. Expanding the role of the Ombudsman for Children will address these issues and will ensure a one stop facility to which parents and students can go with their concerns. As we know from other areas of policy and practice, dividing children's issues across Departments and services often leads to overlap and gaps, with significant work, financial resources and time spent establishing links.

The NPC welcomes the amendment to section 9 of the 1998 Act to insert the additional function of a school to promote the involvement of parents and students in the education provided to students. The NPC believes head 9 completely supports the first principle outlined in head 3. If the parent and student charter is underpinned by placing the student at the centre of school life and securing optimum outcomes for each student in his or her learning and holistic development, we know from research that parents are essential to the delivery of this principle, so ensuring a function of the school is to promote the involvement of parents and students in the education provided to students becomes vital.

The NPC supports the amendment of section 27 of the 1998 Act in clarifying the purpose of a student council in promoting the interests of students as distinct from the interests of the school. The interests of the school will be better served if the student council promotes the interests of students.