Rethinking Educational Disadvantage

The symposium included inputs from Professor Paul Reville, Harvard University, Professor Diane Reay, the University of Cambridge and Professor Kathleen Lynch, UCD. It also included a roundtable discussion featuring post-primary school students, school leaders and industry partners which looked at the impact of the Power2Progress Programme. Commenting on the programme, Minister Harris called it ‘an exceptional programme, which will make a real difference to the lives of the 600 plus participating students in DEIS schools nationally, a gamechanger in allowing these students to access further and higher education pathways.’ School leaders reflecting on the significance of the programme noted the increased engagement levels, attendance levels and ambition of participating students, as well as the ripple effect across the wider school community. The symposium also featured the launch of a special issue of Irish Educational Studies on the theme of educational disadvantage, edited by Judith Harford, Brian Fleming and Áine Hyland https://www.tandfonline.com/toc/ries20/current. Commenting on the significance of the symposium and publication, Professor Harford noted ‘while we have made some progress in democratising our education system, the stark reality is that participation in education in this country continues to be significantly shaped by social class. ‘Educational disadvantage’, a disempowering label which has an objectifying effect, continues to be viewed as a school-based issue, with a lack of recognition and response at a policy level of its fundamental, deep-seated relationship with wider economic inequalities across Irish society.