The National Principals’ Forum expresses its deep frustration with the latest debacle from the Department of Education with the awarding of STEM grants for schools. In a survey completed in less than 24 hours by over 600 principals, 91% stated they were unsatisfied with the process.
On November 15, 2023, the Department of Education and Skills launched a grant application process for primary and post-primary schools within the Free Education Scheme, offering up to €10,000 per school on completion of a long application form and promised evaluation process. Over 70% of primary schools made applications. With 2022-23’s ICT grant unpaid, schools were unable to plan for basic ICT and other STEM subject needs. Rather than go through the due process, the Department of Education randomly selected schools by geographical area. 2% of primary schools in Co. Leitrim were awarded the grant compared to 22% of schools in Co. Offaly. The Minister’s own constituency fared well with over 15% of schools in the county successful.
Angela Dunne from the National Principals’ Forum said “the fact that the vast majority of schools felt they had enter a competition to cover essential expenses, amidst challenges like high electricity costs, has been met with frustration, with the application process described as farcical and demeaning.” Principals reemphasised the crisis of funding in primary schools. A Donegal-based school leader said “Schools are totally underfunded, which is adding huge financial pressures to principals. Not knowing when funding will be made available makes it impossible for us to budget.”
This latest fiasco from the Department of Education is yet another addition to principals’ unsustainable workload. “It was such a disgrace to ask schools to do all that paperwork in a very short timeframe, then to be told, it was actually a lottery. It is so disrespectful to schools,” reported a principal in Cork.
Alan Kelly, principal of Scoil Mhuire Naofa in Carrigallen, Co. Leitrim added, “it seems the Minister has given a message that Santa has only arrived at a select number of school this Christmas. Who knows will we be able to keep the lights on when we come back in January?”