Charity calls for capitation hike to ease back-to-school burden

The Government should restore capitation grants to pre-crash levels in order to allow schools to move away from ‘voluntary’ contributions, which heap pressure on already hard-pressed parents, according to Society of St Vincent de Paul.

As the largest voluntary charity in the west prepares to distribute hundreds of ‘back-to-school’ supplies to children across Galway, Roscommon and Mayo, SVP Western Region President Michael McCann has called for increased funding of the education sector to take the burden off struggling families.

“The back-to-school costs for parents are significant. If schools were funded better than they are, one of the things you’d get away from is the voluntary contributions, which have become increasingly less voluntary and have become increasingly bigger. To fund schools properly, restore the capitation grant to the level that it was in 2010. That wouldn’t even be an increase on what it was but it would be an improvement,” said Mr McCann.

In 2016, nationally the Society spent €3.7 million on education, he said, which included helping families meet voluntary contributions and pay for schoolbooks, shoes and uniforms.

Mr McCann has worked in education all his life and was principal of Presentation Secondary School in Galway City from 1988 to 2006.

“I’ve a certain empathy for the schools because I was a school principal for long enough. At a certain level, the capitation grant for schools covers a certain amount but the bigger the school, at secondary rather than primary, the better it’s funded because it’s based on capitation.

“Now if you have a school of 300 students and one of 600, it doesn’t cost twice as much to heat the one of 600 students but you’re getting twice as much in capitation.

“I’m not saying they’re getting too much but pointing out that smaller schools are finding it difficult.

“Parents are being asked to bridge the gap in funding. Parents are under pressure from the basics first of all, in terms of school uniforms and school books. Then there are trips and swimming and various other things . . . Free education is not free in this country,” he said.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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