If it is to effectively carry out its role, the Department of Education must undergo significant transformation. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins PhotosThe upcoming Convention on Education provides a welcome opportunity to reflect on the current education system, what it has achieved and the extent to which it is fit for purpose in a rapidly changing society. Ireland’s education system has, by many conventional measures, performed well over recent decades. Rethinking education policyConvinced of the need for significant reform of the education system, we explored the trajectory of education policy formulation in Ireland over recent decades. Perhaps most importantly, the education system continues to reflect enduring patterns of inequality, at the same time maintaining dominant power interests.

Source: The Irish Times February 25, 2026 07:32 UTC