A series of workshops have taken place in Ireland as part of the Fostering Inclusive Quality Education in Finland and Ireland project. This multi-country project is funded by the European Commission via the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) and implemented by the Agency and the Commission’s Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM), alongside the Irish Department of Education and Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture. It aims at promoting equity in education using a highly participatory approach.
Approximately 90 stakeholders took part in the workshops between 18 and 20 June 2024 in Dublin. Participants included regional and local stakeholders from government, parent groups, non-governmental organisations and trade unions, higher education institutions and teacher training colleges, school principals and teachers from across Ireland.
The workshops aimed to collect the stakeholders’ perspectives (criticisms and suggestions for improvement) on the current situation in education in Ireland and to enable dialogue on all aspects of inclusive education. During day 1, discussions focused on inclusive education in general. On days 2 and 3, participants focused on teacher education and school leadership, respectively. At the end of each day, the Agency team collected key messages and highlights from all stakeholders, who enthusiastically engaged in the activities.
The results of the discussions complemented the project team’s findings during the policy and legislation analysis of the Irish education system. The analysis and the stakeholder consultations will help the team to identify strengths and challenges in policy and practice and will inform the next steps of the project.
Similar workshops will be organised with Finnish stakeholders in Helsinki at the end of November 2024. A meeting will also be held with learners at the end of September 2024.
For more information on the project and the Agency’s involvement in TSI work, visit the TSI web area.