The year 2017 is the golden jubilee of the introduction of free secondary education in Ireland. It was announced by the dynamic new Minister for Education, Donogh O’Malley (1921-1968), on 10 September 1966 at a dinner of the National Union of Journalists in Dun Laoghaire. He promised free fees up to the completion of the Intermediate Certificate (now called the Junior Certificate) from the start of the following school year and to follow on to include the Leaving Certificate programme. His announcement caused consternation, because it was not cleared with the cabinet or the Department of Finance, although it is believed that the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), Seán Lemass, knew about the announcement. However, the immediate public enthusiasm for the announcement was such that the Government had no choice but to endorse it. In the 1940s, about ninety per cent of Irish pupils completed their full-time education at primary school level. Only a small number progressed to post-primary education until the 1960s. There were thousands in generations up to the last quarter of the twentieth century who could have achieved success in any walk of life if they had the educational opportunities enjoyed by later generations. In 1966, 17,000 pupils, or one in three of those that completed their primary school education, did not progress any further, which the minister described in his speech as ‘a dark stain on the national conscience’. While fees were not large, they had an adverse psychological effect and were seen by many families as a barrier to progression. Investment in Education, an OECD report published in two volumes in 1965 and 1966, recommended expansion and investment in education at all levels in Ireland, which was timely and very influential.
The decision was easily implemented in comprehensive and vocational schools, but the vast majority of voluntary religious-controlled secondary schools also opted to join the new arrangement. Free secondary education from September 1967 opened post primary education to all regardless of means and provided opportunities for thousands of young people to follow their dreams. Free transport was provided for pupils living three miles or more from the nearest school and catchment areas were delimited. Up to then, many students cycled miles every day to post-primary schools, in hail, rain and snow. Participation increased across the country, with a huge expansion to mass education, bringing about a social revolution. The introduction of free post primary education transformed the country, increased participation at third level, facilitated social mobility, promoted cultural enrichment, and paved the way for the high technology economy of today. By the dawn of the third millennium AD, over eighty per cent of the relevant age cohort in Ireland completed the Leaving Certificate, and for 2010 it became 82.4 per cent for young men and 86.5 per cent for female students, and is now over ninety per cent. However, most post primary schools in Ireland now have “voluntary contributions” or increased State funding to address social disadvantage.
Participation in higher education was low until the last quarter of the twentieth century, when the beneficiaries of free secondary education started to progress and change the hitherto elite sector. In 1966, only 12.3 per cent of the relevant cohort went on to third-level, but by the start of the new millennium, and now over 60 per cent. Up to the 1970s, virtually every qualified applicant secured the third- level course of his/ her choice; for years all they had to do was to join a queue for the course of their choice on registration day (even medicine). As demand for places exceeded supply increased, the Central Application Office was inaugurated in 1976 and a points system, based on Leaving Certificate performance, was introduced and available places offered in order of merit, with all higher education institutions participating from 1991. Cut-off points for courses were published and only applicants with points in excess of those thresholds received offers of places. The system came to be seen as fair, simple and transparent to all applicants regardless of where they lived or their socio-economic backgrounds or connections. For years, the only third-level scholarships available were a small number provided by County Councils. The Local Authority (Higher Education Grant) Act of 1968 provided for grants to be paid to students who reached a specific standard in the Leaving Certificate and whose parents satisfied a means test. Another source of funding was implemented in 1986 with European Social Fund (ESF) grants, which were not subject to a means test, but these were confined to sub-degree programmes. In 1995, Niamh Bhreathnacht, Minister for Education, announced the phased abolition of undergraduate third-level fees for full-time students over two academic years, 1995/6 and 1996/7. These developments opened up third-level education to increased participation. Young people in Ireland can now aspire to any career path which is realistic with their ambitions, abilities, interests and work ethic. These educated young people are now making huge contributions to the economic, social and cultural development of Ireland, including the attraction for foreign direct investment. It is appropriate that the the golden jubilee of the origin of those huge changes is remembered.
Bernard O'Hara's latest book entitled Killasser: Heritage of a Mayo Parish is now on sale in the USA and UK as a paperback book at amazon.com, amazon.co.uk or Barnes and Noble
It is also available as an eBook from the Apple iBookstore (for reading on iPad and iPhone), from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk (Kindle & Kindle Fire) and from Barnesandnoble.com (Nook tablet and eReader).
An earlier publication, a concise biography of Michael Davitt, entitled Davitt by Bernard O’Hara published in 2006 by Mayo County Council , is now available as Davitt: Irish Patriot and Father of the Land League by Bernard O’Hara, which was published in the USA by Tudor Gate Press (www.tudorgatepress.com) and is available from amazon.com and amazon.co.uk. It can be obtained as an eBook from the Apple iBookstore (for reading on iPad and iPhone), from Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk (Kindle & Kindle Fire) and from Barnesandnoble.com (Nook tablet and eReader).