Some 1 million full-time students use the education system in Ireland each day, attending first level, second level, further and higher education institutions aided by the Department of Education and Skills. There are some 870,000 students following first and second level programmes in schools, with approximately 112,000 sitting the Junior Certificate and Leaving Certificate examinations each year.
Key concerns within the system are to
Our education system must continue to evolve in order to maintain quality relevance and inclusion in a changing world.
The Irish education system is structured as follows:
Early childhood education ~ This applies to children aged 0-6. In general, early childhood education is provided in the private sector in crèches, naíonraí (through the medium of Irish) and childcare settings, and in child care programmes funded by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. These programmes include a free pre-school year for children aged from 3 years and 2 months to 4 years and 7 months, which was introduced in January 2010. The Department of Education and Skills funds intervention programmes for children at risk of educational disadvantage and for children with special needs. The provision in primary schools for children aged 4-6 is classified as pre-primary education.
The Department has funded the development of Aistear a curriculum framework for early learning which was developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and Síolta, a quality framework for early childhood development, which was developed by the Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education.
Primary level ~ Nearly 40% of four-year-olds and almost all five-year olds are enrolled in infant classes in primary schools. They complete 8 years in primary school. There are some 3,300 primary national schools, catering for of the order of 536,317 pupils. Approximately 32,800 teachers are employed at primary level.
Post Primary level ~ The post-primary education sector comprises secondary, vocational, community and comprehensive schools. Secondary schools are privately owned and managed. Vocational schools are state-established and administered by Education and Training Boards (ETBs), while community and comprehensive schools are managed by Boards of Management of differing compositions.
Post-primary education consists of a three-year Junior Cycle (lower secondary), followed by a two or three-year Senior Cycle (upper secondary), depending on whether the optional Transition Year (TY) is taken.
Students usually begin the Junior Cycle at age 12. The Junior Certificate examination is taken after three years. The main objective of the Junior Cycle is for students to complete a broad and balanced curriculum, and to develop the knowledge and skills that will enable them to proceed to Senior Cycle education. A new Framework for Junior Cycle is being implemented on a phased basis beginning in September 2014 with the introduction of a new specification in English.
The Senior Cycle caters for students in the 15 to 18 year age group. It includes an optional Transition Year, which follows immediately after the Junior Cycle. TY provides an opportunity for students to experience a wide range of educational inputs, including work experience, over the course of a year that is free from formal examinations.
During the final two years of Senior Cycle students take one of the three programmes, each leading to a State Examination: the traditional Leaving Certificate (LCE), the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP) or the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA).
Further Education and training ~ courses are available in a wide range of disciplines covering such areas as business administration, ICT, electronics, multi-media, art craft and design, journalism, tourism and catering, childcare, construction, film, radio and sound, animation and equestrian studies. Certification is provided through the National Framework Qualifications.
SOLAS operates under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills and, in conjunction with the Education and Training Boards, is responsible for the integration, coordination and funding of a wide range of further education and training programmes. Some 34,000 learners participate in Post Leaving Certificate Programmes annually.
Third Level or Higher Education ~ 31 Third Level colleges are funded by the Department providing services to over 164,800 full-time students.
A number of other third level institutions additionally provide specialist education in such fields as art and design, medicine, business studies, rural development, theology, music and law.
Click here for a full list of these institutions.
Free schoolbooks will be provided for all students in post-primary schools through the Free Education Scheme for the 2025/26 school year, this is part of a 450 million funding package to help alleviate the cost of living crisis for families.
Other Budget 2025 changes to education can be summarised below:
Teaching
Teaching at primary and second level is a much sought after career. Certain skill shortages are being experienced, partly due to the number of newly qualified teachers who opt to teach abroad, and partly due to the demand of skills in specific subject areas such as Physics and Irish.
The work is challenging and teachers are expected to continue to engage in continuing professional development to keep pace with changing needs, curriculum reform, integration of ICT and innovation in teaching and learning approaches.
Training
The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN) plays a key role in advising on future enterprise skills needs and any emerging gaps. Recent reports published by the EGFSN indicate that the current needs of enterprise are in the areas of High-Level ICT and Manufacturing; Skills to Trade Internationally combined with a Foreign Language; International Financial Services and Entrepreneurship.
Springboard
In supporting unemployed people to upskill and reskill the Department of Education and Skills has launched two new competitive funding streams at higher education level that address the specific skills needs of industry and support job seekers into employment - Springboard and the ICT Skills Conversion programme.
Springboard is a specific initiative that strategically targets funding of free part-time higher education courses to enable unemployed people who have lost jobs in sectors where employment levels will not return, to upskill or reskill in areas where there are identified labour market skills shortages or employment opportunities. The courses, which are at level 6 (higher certificate) to level 9 (master’s degree) on the National Framework of Qualifications, are delivered in public and private higher education providers around the country. All courses approved for funding under Springboard are in areas of identified skills needs and are selected by an independent panel with industry and educational expertise, following a competitive call for proposals. Details of Springboard courses and the eligibility criteria for participation are available on the dedicated information and applications website www.springboardcourses.ie
ICT Skills Conversion Programme
The ICT Skills Conversion programmes are provided as part of the joint Government-Industry ICT Action Plan. Jobseekers with a Level 8 qualification are eligible to apply for the conversion programmes. The courses, which are free of charge to participants, are all highly intensive and lead to an honours degree award (NFQ level 8) in computer science. Courses are designed and delivered in partnership with industry and include a work placement of 3 to 6 months duration. Further information is available at www.ictskills.ie
