Cops welcomed with smoke bombs and flares Dublin Pride 19:57 Jul 14 0 comments Gemma O'Doherty: The speech you never heard. I wonder why? 05:28 Jan 15 0 comments A Decade of Evidence Demonstrates The Dramatic Failure Of Globalisation 15:39 Aug 23 1 comments Thatcher's " blind eye" to paedophilia 15:27 Mar 12 0 comments Total Revolution. A new philosophy for the 21st century. 15:55 Nov 17 0 comments more >>Blog Feeds
Public InquiryInterested in maladministration. Estd. 2005RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony Waiting for SIPO Anthony
Human Rights in IrelandPromoting Human Rights in Ireland
Lockdown Skeptics
The Ginger Rogers Theory of Information Wed Dec 25, 2024 18:00 | Sallust
Some Laws Relating to Speech Are Surprisingly Uplifting Wed Dec 25, 2024 16:00 | James Alexander
Warm Keir Starmer Just Looked Out? Wed Dec 25, 2024 11:00 | Henry Goodall
Declined: Chapter One Wed Dec 25, 2024 09:00 | M. Zermansky
The Lobbyists Behind the Climate and Nature Bill Wed Dec 25, 2024 07:00 | Charlotte Gill
Voltaire NetworkVoltaire, international editionVoltaire, International Newsletter N?113 Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:42 | en Pentagon could create a second Kurdish state Fri Dec 20, 2024 10:31 | en How Washington and Ankara Changed the Regime in Damascus , by Thierry Meyssan Tue Dec 17, 2024 06:58 | en Statement by President Bashar al-Assad on the Circumstances Leading to his Depar... Mon Dec 16, 2024 13:26 | en Voltaire, International Newsletter N?112 Fri Dec 13, 2024 15:34 | en |
IEF Challenges Threat of Privatisation
national |
miscellaneous |
feature
Monday March 29, 2004 19:28 by Cathal Mac Oireachtaigh - Irish Education Forum cmacoireachtaigh at yahoo dot co dot uk
An insiders account of the recent Irish Education Forum, hosted by UCD Students Union on Fri. 19th March 2004... From the newswire: In the wake of last year's successful Campaign for a Free Education (CFE) something of a ‘new bloom’ of student activism has sprouted up in Universities and Colleges across the country carrying with it an enormous amount of dissatisfaction with and opposition to the direction in which the Irish Education system is currently being steered. Exemplary of such activism was the recent inaugural sitting of the Irish Education Forum (IEF) and its subsequent plan of ‘building an alternative’ to the threat of privatisation. The IEF is a vital foundation stone in the formulation of a response to the very imminent reintroduction of College fees and the subsequent privatisation of third level education. Continue to a full report on the Irish Education Forum >>
An insiders account of the recent Irish Education Forum, hosted by UCD Students Union on Fri. 19th March 2004... Student activists and SU reps from Colleges and universities nationwide, gathered at the boardroom in UCD's Student Centre where they set upon the task of revitalising and re-hauling of the student movement. Interpretations were put forward by a SIPTU Education Branch Officer, a Chilean student union activist and the SU President of St. Patricks Teacher Training College, on the value of a non-privatised Education system which set a backdrop to the open discussion that followed. The timing of the event purposely coincided with the meeting of the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) being held at Dublin Castle where 30 EU education ministers discussed the future of education without any form of student representation in attendance. After the morning’s deliberations a decent hand full of students headed into town and took part in an unplanned sit-down protest and blockaded the gates of Dublin castle where a mock auction of our educational institutes was also staged fetching some very good bids indeed! After a couple of hours the tents and tarpaulin were rolled up and people made their way to the Teachers club in Parnell Sq. where a plenary discussion on a number of matters regarding the privatisation of education was held. The plenary opened up with a brief discussion on the International connection. Issues directly affecting education such as the Bologna process, GATS and the European Education Forum were all discussed informally outlining the complexity of the factors involved. Central to the discussion that ensued was the creation of an IEF awareness campaign of the issues at hand that could percolate into the general student body and the public at large. It was agreed that it was necessary to channel a large amount of energy into building at the local college level. This would imply the creation of an extensive outreach campaign to students college-wide as part of the wider awareness campaign. Another key issue that arose was the necessity to include the support of staff and academics, teachers unions and trade unions in order for the movement to encompass more broadly the people who will be ultimately affected by privatisation. It was decided that another Forum would be held at the beginning of the next academic year with a view to kick-starting something of a new Irish Education Movement, following along similar lines as the CFE but with a much broader front and message. As a whole the plenary achieved its intended goal of formulating a coherent plan of action to counteract the advance of privatisation in Irish education. It is worth noting some of the many side effects associated with the privatisation of education are not often pointed out in much of the media coverage. For example, as part of the information gap, the negative impact on equality of access is often ignored. This is clearly demonstrated by the US model, where annual fees for Universities such as the prestigious Harvard amount to $40,000, and as a consequence access of African Americans, Hispanics and other marginalized minority groups in third level education is dismally low. Shockingly, for every one person of colour in college in the US there are roughly 100 in prison. Alright, part of this exclusion rises from a longer legacy of institutional racism and poverty, nonetheless there is no doubt that the problem of equal access is further compounded by a policy of economics first and competition driven education system. Similarly, the recommendations of Dr Thornhill of the HEA to the OECD conveniently neglect to highlight the huge disparity in the numbers of those from working class backgrounds accessing 3rd level in comparison to that of the middle class. With such a class divide already so rife in a two-tiered Irish Education system one does not have to be too smart to imagine how these figures would look with the onslaught of privatisation. Not only will the lower socio-economic groups of society be adversely affected by a privatised education system but also those in the middle-earning bracket will inevitably suffer. On that note it is arguable that the Government should have the moral integrity to sensibly redistribute tax in a progressive rather than regressive manner. In other words, there is a huge untapped resource of public funds within the tax net if the Government was only brave enough to adequately tax the highest earners in Irish society. Many students are becoming increasingly aware of the negative spin-offs and the resulting social deficit associated with the privatisation of education. However, while the IEF was a positive baptism for a new movement, there still remains a need for the same student activism to percolate into the wider student body for the movement to be an effective force of change. This is the challenge that the IEF is faced with and it seems wholly intent on confronting it face on. One thing is certain; participants of the IEF are united with a common view regardless of political affiliations. It would be wrong to perceive the IEF as bunch of disgruntled leftie anti-capitalists when in fact many participants may not support anti-capitalism as a whole but hold the view that education should remain a public service and should not be commodified. For all too long movements have come and gone while visionless privatisation rides unbridled destroying public services along its path. It is time for students to challenge their apathy, shake off their left-right divisions and get involved in making the vision of ‘education as right’ a reality and not just an ideal.
Join the online discussion group by mailing to: |
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (7 of 7)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7There was a lot of interest in the IEF at USI's recent Congress but its vital that the movement takes in teachers, other academics and all involved in the education system - not just students.
good account Cathal. Just a note to all involved that the next planned meeting is on
April 17th at apprx 17.30 in Trinity college, however this is just provisional and subject to clearance from the mailing list. All interested parties join the discussion group at
irisheducationforum-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
I would like to reiterate what dermot said and encourage all teacher union activists and academics, workers in uni`s`and colleges, library staff etc and any umbrella group that incorporates education to get involved
The headline of the article reads, 'IEF Challenges Threat of Privatisation'. I do not think this is true at all. The IEF up to know is just a talking shop. Privitisation will not be challenged by simply talking about how bad ot os etc. Privitisation will only be challenged if activists in SUs AND in the trade union movement come together and take action against the governments plans. Don't get me wrong, the IEF is a positive development, but it needs to adopt a fighting strategy and be active in organising real effective opposition to the government. It also needs to be independent of the USI/SU bureacracy and the right wing establishment parties and be based on the grass roots.
Agreed the title is open to interpetation.
The IEF s greatest challenge will come when it comes to turning words to actions on the battle gound.
SU Activist, Your right to say that the IEF is a talkshop, but at present this a nessecity as the movement has yet to gather numbers and the real 'challenge' will be mobilising the numbers. THe infantile IEF is putting together an opposition that can bite, and until lots more people get activly engaged the IEF will still only have baby teeth.
But, i think by limiting the representation of IEF to 'grass root' activists it will alienate people from the issue at hand and this would be suicide.
If the IEF doesnt open its participation beyond 'grass-roots' then it will end in an exclusive 'grass-roots' cabal that has no stregnth in numbers and no widespread support.
First off, don't get me wrong, the IEF is a positive development. I think it is an excellent oppurtunity to mobilse opposition to the government on a national basis. BUt it will not do this if it is continusly naval gazing with just a handul of sabbatical officersand USI Bureacrats.
"Your right to say that the IEF is a talkshop, but at present this a nessecity as the movement has yet to gather numbers "
I think there are numbers there. There are thaousends of students and workers that would be willing to take action against the neo liberla agenda of the government. These students will not be reached in the debating halls of UCD they will be met on the ground in the campuses and workplaces. The average student will not attend a discussion on the fine points of education policy but they will attend, build and be active in a movement that fights against fees and cutbacks. Look at the example of the apprentices that took to boycotting lectures and non payment of fees in opposition to the levying of the registration charge on them. What do these students know about the IEF? Nothing! The IEF needs to be an activist based organisation, it needs to practically link up with students and workers already in struggle and agitate among those that are not. The IEF for example could in the next few weeks try to organise stalls,lecture addresses and meetings in all the colleges in Ireland. They should alos link up with workers such as thoe in An Post, CIE and Aer Rianta.
Im fed up with these woodwork generals(SU activist) obviously youre not involved in the IEF as if you were you would appreciate that many of the ideas you suggested are in fact part of the IEF agenda.
People like you are the first to come out shooting your guns at developing movements or the like. With all respect, youre 'bubble world' ignorance shines through when you suggest that the numbers are there? Where? Ok you mention a couple of examples but the reality is that the vast majority of students dont give a fat fuck about fighting your war against the 'neo liberal agenda' but may actually care about the state of our ed . system. Its gonna take more than a handful of radicals to oppose our pathetic gov. and thier privatisation plans. The last poster and his rebel mates can stage their own revolution with their imaginary mobilised masses or they can get involved with the IEF which is channeling its energy into, not just talking (as the uninvolved cynics will cry), but into mobilising towards a massive offensive against the government. The IEF as a movement cannot afford to be taken over by self righteous idealists Obviously, grass root activists may be at the heart of the movement, but the IEF is not a political band wagon for armchair idealists, left or right , to hijack. It should be an unpolitically affiliated movement fighting for the greater good...
Funny how the middle classes are so vocal about fees. No-one seems too concerned about the fact that education remains a right for the well off and a privilege for the less well off. The abolition of fees is increasing the wealth divide. There is little sign of a rise in young people from the working class going on to college and the professions. The abolition of fees represents another example of wealth transfer from the bottom to the top.