Deputy Joe McHugh
Donegal Deputy Joe McHugh has welcomed the announcement from Minister Quinn which shows that DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunities in Schools) is working in primary schools around the country.
Commenting on the report’s findings, Deputy Joe McHugh: “I am very pleased to see the findings released today, which show that test scores in DEIS primary schools at all grade levels have increased significantly.
“This is something I worked closely on to convince the Minister to retain the DEIS disadvantaged classification and these strong indications of improvement among primary school students demonstrates how important this programme is.
“The education system, specifically in Donegal, needs to address the different challenges students and teachers are facing.
“As we know, small schools are common in the North West region and this is an issue that many of them face.
“There is no question that some schools are going to come under enormous pressure, including some faith-based schools and this administration needs to focus on addressing individual needs and requirements, acknowledging that schools of different sizes and religious faiths face different issues. Investment in education is paramount in getting people into the work place and I believe the continued success of this programme will play a big role in that process.”