Commissioner warns revised Education Act 'not sufficiently child-centred'

With a revised Education Act set to come into force next month, the Office of the Commissioner for Children has warned that the act is not based on children's rights, and therefore is not sufficiently child-centred.

"The best interests of the child should be paramount throughout the whole Act. The Act should apply to all educational institutions whether State, Church or independent."

The office said that the pandemic severely disrupted education for children, and pointed out that the Act does not provide a legal framework protect their right to education.

"Such a framework should also provide guarantees in terms of the provision and quality of alternative educational arrangements that should be in place in the event of full or partial school closures."

The office also added that the Act should make it possible for children who are not able to attend school physically to continue to receive high quality education within their class by making lessons accessible remotely. 

"Students do not need more education but better education. If this can be achieved, the Office agrees that we can then look to extending compulsory school age since the rightful place of children is in education."

The office then pointed towards its Position Paper on the revised Education Act, and called for it to be discussed in Parliament.