Education in Ireland, like in every country of the world, is very complex. So rather than being a comprehensive guide, this site will serve mostly to highlight the major points involved and to describe some important differences between the American System and the Irish System.

• Similar to the US, education is free in Ireland. It is paid for by taxes.
• Education in Ireland consists of primary (ages 4-12) and secondary (ages 12-18) schooling. All primary work and secondary work is done in preparation for two major tests at the end of the third year and sixth year of secondary school. The scores on these tests are very important because they will determine whether or not a student can go into their chosen field of study. For example, a high score would be needed to become a doctor because there are few doctor positions open, and thus competition is high and scores determine which people get the jobs. To become a mathematician or scientist however, low scores might be fine because there are several jobs available in those fields. After the junior cycle (the first three years of secondary school), schooling is designed to allow students preparation for their chosen fields of study. Many students do not go on to university, instead choosing to work after secondary school.
• Ireland is a religious state. Nearly 90% of Irish people self-identify as Catholic, while the majority of other people are Protestant. There are several other religions as well, but they are not well represented. Schools therefore, are mostly Catholic in nature and are many times connected physically to a cathedral. For the most part, the curriculum in Ireland is very similar to the United States. Students are taught basic subjects like math, English, and Irish (Ireland's native language - Gaelic), science, and physical education. In addition, students are taught religion. This consists mostly of Catholicism.
• Teaching is a very stable job in Ireland, but one that pays very little. When the economy was bad, teaching was a very good job to have because it meant a stable paycheck. However, now that economic forces have turned for the better, teaching does little to pay for everyday needs and makes getting a mortgage and raising a family difficult.
• Teachers' Unions play a major part in the Irish education system. There are several unions in existence, but the main ones consist of the primary teachers union, the secondary teachers union, the vocational teachers union, and the principals union. There is constant conflict between the unions and the government over pay, benefits, and other issues. There have been several strikes throughout the past few years resulting in lost days.
• With an increase in Irelands economy in recent years, education will become more important in creating a higher quality of life for its people.
• The number of students enrolled in schools is increasing as the number of young people in Ireland increases.
• For many, education is hard to obtain. This is true for several reasons. Perhaps the child comes from a family with little concern for educating their children or perhaps the child lives in an area that has little outreach towards educating children. Many parents are the product of several years of unemployment, so they have no concept of getting an education to get a well paying job. Teachers have much to think about when considering the educational needs of their students, especially in inner city schools where social and economic problems are more likely to exist.
• Teachers in Ireland, like in the United States, vary in abilities and philosophy. It takes most primary teachers in Ireland three years to obtain teaching ability. For secondary certification, a student would first obtain two different degrees from the university (i.e. Irish and maths) and then spend a year obtaining his or her teaching certification. Teachers at the secondary level are expected to teach as many as three different subjects. It is common for the physical education teacher to also be the geography teacher and perhaps the maths teacher.
• Like the United States, each teacher in Ireland's schools has a different way of controlling discipline within their classroom. Because there are no formal grades given in most schools, teachers in Ireland must be very creative in developing a classroom management plan that helps students to learn effectively while maintaining a positive atmosphere. .For the most part, as in the United States, teachers in Ireland believe in the innate ability of the students to learn. Ireland's teachers, however, tend to have a slightly different style of helping students to achieve their learning potential.

Students at St. Clements Secondary School