The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn launched the second phase of the ‘Write to Read Literacy Project’, a college school partnership project focusing on literacy in St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra.
Following the first phase of the project, evidence showed that results can be achieved in improving literacy attainment for children when sufficient efforts are made to identify and address the weaknesses that currently exist in Irish schools. There should be nothing in the way of children from disadvantaged backgrounds achieving levels of those from more advantaged backgrounds.
Programme for Government
Improving the literacy and numeracy standards amongst young people was one of Minister Quinn’s main aims in the Programme for Government. The Programme for Government seeks to develop and implement a national literacy and numeracy strategy, which will provide a comprehensive set of measures to improve learning outcomes for children and young people.
Minister Quinn added that “Write to Read” has shown that targeted continuing professional development for teachers and schools can have a significant effect on improving literacy standards and that is why the provision of such continuing professional development, especially in DEIS schools, is a core part of the literacy strategy”.