Report: Travellers in North Cork ‘face barriers to education’

A NEW report has revealed that many Traveller children living in the North Cork region still face significant barriers to education and a ‘high’ level of disadvantage across the region.

The Travellers of North Cork report was undertaken by Patricia McGrath at Adult Continuing Education at University College Cork and published earlier this week.

The report examined the pressing issues affecting the Traveller community and their families in the North Cork region who shared their experiences of the barriers to progression from one level of education to the next.

Key findings in the report include the scarcity of National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) assessments in primary schools, which are essential for identifying and addressing additional educational needs.

The report also found that some schools are still segregating children into Traveller-only classrooms and that early school leaving is encouraged, with some teachers actively encouraging children to leave school once they reach the legal age of 16.

Ms McGrath said: “Historically, Irish Traveller children have encountered significant disadvantages within the Irish education system.

“Despite the Government’s commitment to reducing this disadvantage, this research finds that barriers to education persist for Traveller children in primary and secondary schools.

“It is essential to address these challenges. With the necessary supports in place, Traveller children ought to transition successfully from primary to secondary schools, to give them the opportunity to progress and achieve their full potential.”

Ms McGrath highlighted two cases which shocked her.

“There was one case where a mother told me that her child was in fifth class and hadn’t been assessed yet despite repeated requests down through the years,” she said. “The lack of testing ends up with the child not performing, not coping with school, and being put on a reduced timetable. This is stark.

“One educator told me of another school that she discovered were segregating Traveller children into a Traveller-only classroom. That was a shocking revelation, as I thought that was a thing of the past.”

The report makes 20 recommendations on how to improve the educational experience and rates of progression for Traveller children.