The Education Minister says a new study shows parts of the Irish educations system are screaming for reform. A report by the Chief Inspector says there are weaknesses in the teaching and learning of Irish in primary and secondary schools.
The review was carried out between 2010 and 2012, and is also raising concerns over the standard of maths classes at second level. It finds issues with the teaching of 26% of maths classes in secondary schools.
The review says just under 1/3 of Irish lessons in post-primary schools are also less than satisfactory. It also shows issues with almost 1-in-4 Irish classes at primary level.
Among factors noted in the report were a lack of a comprehensive Irish-language programme for English-medium primary schools and concerns about the Irish-language competence of teachers in a small but significant number of classrooms.
It also added that standards in the teaching and learning of mathematics were generally good at primary level with learning satisfactory or better in 85% of lessons inspected. But inspectors noted the "lack of opportunities for primary pupils to engage in the sort of collaborative working needed for effective problem-solving".
Ruairi Quinn says the report identifies where there are shortcomings in the sector.
However, some 97% of the more than 47,000 parents surveyed in primary schools felt that teaching was good in their child's school. In post-primary schools, 87% of the 20,000 parents surveyed had similar views.
Inspectors judged that 86% of lessons inspected in unannounced inspections were "satisfactory or better" in primary schools, while 14% were unsatisfactory.
In post-primary schools, 87% of lessons judged to be "satisfactory or better" and 13% unsatisfactory.
"Inspections provide an important external look at the work of schools," said the Chief Inspector, "and are focused on helping each school to improve its teaching and learning. They also provide an important reassurance to parents and the public about the quality of the work of schools" he added.
