Parental choices are the main driver for the continued development of the education system

We reflect the pluralism available and our sector includes single sex, co-educational, denominational, multi-denominational, non-denominational schools, boarding schools, schools in the DEIS program, fee-paying schools and scoileanna lán Ghaeilge.

These are all integral parts of the education system and have successfully met the needs of local communities and the country.

International indices on investment in education all point to a persistent deficit here – and yet our system is praised abroad and enjoys the confidence of the majority of the population at home.

There are many reasons for the value we place on education. We have a history of service spanning many generations – from religious orders and lay people alike – who established standards and infused a sense of volunteerism and a community structure that strengthened a sense of connection to the local school.

Another factor is healthy competition between schools and school types, and a variety of approaches that can stimulate creativity and help raise standards.

There is no perfect school and no perfect school system. Each of our schools has a context that has influenced its development – and that will determine how it will adapt or change, as all schools inevitably do, to meet future needs.

The value of single-sex schools has been debated lately. Most schools in our sector are single-sex and have served their communities well. That doesn’t mean they’re any better than coeducational schools. All schools have strengths and weaknesses. The point is that each has a specific context and serves a local need. How a school functions or develops ultimately depends on the exercise of parental choice.

We find that new schools and mergers increase the proportion of co-educational schools and the diversity that this brings is very positive and increases choice.

The context also plays a role in the development of the fee sector. Much of this relates to providing education to children of minority religions and maintaining a boarding component that serves the needs of many families.

Parents’ decision to send their children to fee-paying schools saves the state an estimated €130 million a year — money that can be used elsewhere, such as schools that serve the needs of underprivileged communities.

For-profit education is becoming more and more common internationally. Fees are modest by international standards and all of our schools are charities where all funds generated must benefit the educational company.

The relatively small number of schools in this sector leads to an inordinate amount of comment and perhaps we should reflect on what is an appropriate response and the legitimacy of parental choice.

Parents also have the final say in the decision to send their children to a denominational school.

A survey of the perception of Catholic schools shows trust in denominational education. More than 70 percent of parents supported the role of the Catholic Church in schools.

Given that about half of secondary schools have a denominational ethos, this indicates genuine pluralism and respect for parental choice. What also emerges is the concern of many parents that there is a lack of resilience in younger generations when there is no attachment to some higher purpose or cause.

In this regard, the standards that parents appreciate in a school with a Catholic ethos are firmly rooted in the idea of ​​authentic wholeness, embracing the sacred.

We are heirs to a fairly complex education system, but it has served us well and as it has grown organically we will adjust it in a similar fashion over time.

Education requires evolution and change. Schools must always adapt and innovate to remain the relevant, vibrant and creative agencies we all demand. We must encourage and encourage this, allowing for a variety of offerings while having faith in the strength of what we have and the legitimacy of the choices our parents will make.

John Curtis is General Secretary of the Association of Management of Catholic Secondary Schools / JMB