Kildare 2012 - An Economic, Social and Cultural Strategy
A Vision for Education, Training and Capacity-Building in 2012
By 2012 Kildare will be a county where all people, particularly those experiencing social or economic disadvantage, have full and equal access to an education and training system that is responsive to, and caters for, each student's individual needs. A holistic education system will be in place that will enrich people's lives.
Education is a process that is available to people at all stages in their life. From childhood to adulthood, education is a lifelong entitlement for all citizens of the state. The issues of education, training & capacity building are complex and multifaceted and involve economic, social and cultural factors. People’s experience of education can determine their social and economic position in life.
In order to develop our education and training system to enable people to reach their full potential we need to look at:
- How to overcome social, cultural and economic barriers so as to enable people to enter and remain in education
- Delivering education in a way that looks at learners’ individual needs as well as the programmes and subjects provided
- How people can become involved in their own education and how the educational system can become more responsive to learners needs
- The development of tutors and their input into the process of education
- Reflecting social and economic change in the programmes and subjects delivered
It is our strong belief that it is the way that ordinary people experience education that makes the critical difference in terms of outcomes and benefits for the learners. Improving both the process of delivering education and the quality of the programmes provided is crucial to developing a quality system. Ireland, and Kildare in particular, have benefited from an educational strategy based on forward planning and forecasting the needs of industry and providing appropriate skills training. Our society continues to undergo social and economic change and our education system needs to respond to these changes in the future.
Given the importance of education as set out in this Strategy, KCDB would have welcomed the presence of the Department of Education and Science on the board, recognising its all encompassing role in education at pre-school, primary, second and third levels and other specialist educational areas. The absence of this comprehensive perspective was met to some degree by consultation with the Department in relation to KCDB's education proposals. KCDB welcome and support the Department’s plans for the establishment of regional offices and would propose the establishment of such an office in Kildare. These proposals will go some way towards creating a local presence in the county. On the basis of the above points, we would argue that all our organisational proposals, both current and future, be infused with the following core principles:
Core Principles
Education as a Lifelong Entitlement
The principal goal of education is to create the best conditions so that each individual has the opportunity, as a lifelong right, to realise their potential and thereby participate more fully in the life of the community. Education is a life long process and needs to be supported at every stage in the life cycle of the individual.
Access to Education
Every person has the right to access education. Certain obstacles, social, cultural and economic exist which prevent some people from accessing education and training. For example learners may meet obstacles from their family or community where staying in education is not a tradition. These learners need particular supports and strategies to help them to access and stay in education. Our education and training services must becomemore accessible to learners.
Student Centred Learning
Every aspect of education and training needs to be sensitive to the needs of the learner. In a personalised learning system subject choice, materials, curriculum structure, facilities, timetabling and skills of staff are determined by the needs of the learner. The relationship between learners and their tutors is central and must be based on mutual understanding.
The role and skills of the tutor is at the centre of this type of learning. Given this fact all educational organisations must give strong weight to the development and support of its staff. In a student-centred approach the focus is as much on the tutors as on the students. Educational programmes need to take on board the fact that the greatest obstacles to learning are not range of subjects, academic ability, availability of information and so on but rather emotional blocks such as lack of self-esteem and poor self image. This holistic view of the learner needs to be central at all times.
Goals & Objectives to meet these Core Principles
Goal 1: To develop Education, Training and Capacity-Building as a Lifelong Entitlement
In Order to achieve this we need to:
- provide good quality, accessible services at pre-school, primary, secondary and third levels, for adult and community education and training services and for non-school youth education
Goal 2 - To achieve equal access to, and participation in, education and training
In achieving equal access, we will have to:
- overcome social, economic and cultural barriers to access
- create new ways of delivering education and training
- develop a supporting infrastructure that enables people to access education
Goal 3 - To develop a student centred & personalised learning system
In developing this system we will need to:
- establish a student-centred approach in the delivery of education and trainin
- increase recognition and acceptance of non-traditional qualifications
- develop alternative programmes to the second level formal education system
Supporting the Core Principles
Recognising Capacity Building
In order to build the self-esteem and confidence of the learner, capacity-building techniques need to be recognised and valued by the mainstream sector. Capacity building is about increasing the confidence of the learner in themselves and their ability so as to enable them to fully take part in education. This type of approach is widely used in programmes run by non-formal education providers and supports such as the OAK Partnership, ASK and Adult Education services.
Goal 4 - To recognise and include capacity-building as a valued part of a broad education and training process
In achieving this goal, we need to:
- include capacity-building as a part of the formal education and training process
- encourage partnerships between the formal and non-formal education and training sectors in order to promote the concept of capacity-building
Support Services
For a truly student-centred approach to be adopted in education and training services, learners, their guardians and teachers must be provided with the necessary supports. Counselling, childcare, social-care, in-service training and support are all essential requirements of this system. Childcare and social-care allow adult learners to engage in education while counselling supports assist people to overcome their own insecurities with regard to education. In-service training assists tutors to respond to students needs.
Goal 5 - To provide necessary support to enable students and their families to participate in education and training
In order to achieve this goal, we will:
- increase social and childcare facilities available
- introduce lifelong counselling, career guidance and support services for students, parents and teachers
- support children and families in the transition from different stages of education
- build the capacity of parents to take an active role in their child's learning
- recognise and adequately resource the non-formal sector
Participation of the Learner
The participation of the learner is central in an education and training system that values the student. The input of the users of the service (students and families) in the design and evaluation of programmes and services means that these services become more responsive to learner needs. This reinforces the personalised learning approach. Creating ways in which students experiencing disadvantage can input into the design and evaluation of courses makes education and training more attractive and responsive to their needs.
Goal 6 - To develop an education system that facilitates the participation of the learner and their parents or guardians, where appropriate
In working towards achieving this goal, we need to:
- facilitate the participation of people from excluded and disadvantaged groups in education
- facilitate people with disabilities to participate fully in education and training
- develop a system which encourages and facilitates students and parents or guardians to input into the design and delivery of services
Catering for Students with Special Needs
If our education system is to become more responsive to the needs of all students, those learners with special needs must also be considered. Counselling, psychological services and creative methods of teaching are required to deal with the range of special needs in Kildare and to ensure equal access to education and training now and into the future.
Goal 7 - To provide education & training services that adequately cater for those with special needs
In providing for special needs, we will have to:
- facilitate the integration of children and adults with special needs within mainstream education and training, where appropriate
- implement creative ways of teaching people with disabilities
- increase the effectiveness of the process of identification, training, supports and monitoring for students with special needs, including those who are particularly academically gifted
- adequately resource provision for special needs
Facilities for Education & Training
In providing access to education and training, the necessary facilities must also beprovided. At present a number of gaps exist in facilities provision in the county, most particularly in the areas of Adult & Community Education and the non-school Youth Sector. For a truly effective education and training system adequate facilities, created and adapted to meet the needs of learners, are critical.
Goal 8 - To provide sufficient facilities, appropriate to the education and training needs of all people in the county
In working towards achieving this goal, we will:
- develop adequate and responsive facilities that cater for the specific needs of education and training
- develop suitable facilities for adult and community education
- maximise the use of existing facilities
- develop facilities appropriate for the social and non-formal education of young people
Planning our Education System
In 1996, 37% of the population of Kildare was under 19 years of age, meaning that almost 50,000 young people were in full-time education at primary and second levels. Population forecasts suggest that the age profile of the county is unlikely to alter greatly over the next ten years because of the young and consistently growing population in the county. Increasing numbers of Irish children will be born into non-English speaking families over the coming decade. These children and their families will have a particular set of educational and training needs. Planning now for ten years time will ensure that our education system has the capacity to cater for student needs well into the future. The county also has a number of unique advantages, not least of which are the presence of the University at Maynooth and the proximity to Dublin and its educational institutions, which can be built upon in the future planning of education. Within the county we need to be in a position to plan for future changes and for ways to capitalise on our educational infrastructure and resources.
Goal 9 - To have an education system that caters for our current and future needs
In order to achieve this, we have to:
- integrate services at local level
- form partnerships between the formal and non-formal sectors in order to provide a holistic service
- plan an education system that can cater for the future needs of the population
- adequately staff education and training programmes
- adequately resource education and training to meet demands
- encourage people to consider the demands of the labour market in the provision of, and participation in courses
