Picture: Valerie O’Sullivan
THE establishment of a dedicated further education and training campus in Killarney is one of the key targets contained in the Kerry Education Training Board’s new four-year plan for the period from 2018 to 2022.
At the launch of the new strategy chief executive, Colm McEvoy, also outlined an ambition to increase post primary enrolments in the large urban areas, including with Killarney with the establishment of at least five additional community national schools in the county another priority.
Kerry’s first ever community national school, run by the Education Training Board, was officially opened at Two Mile in Killarney last August with nine pupils enrolled on the first day.
As well as serving the families of the Two Mile district, the school has attracted children from the wider Killarney area and it is hoped that the numbers enrolled will continue to grow.
In addition to its unique multi-denominational ethos, having the Kerry ETB as its patron provides key administrative supports to ensure staff are not tied up with administrative issues are free to focus on teaching and learning.
The Kerry ETB is a locally based State agency and it is already the patron of eight post primary schools and one Post Leaving Certificate college. In the Community National School model, the ETB is the employer as well as the corporate body with overall responsibility for governance and the school will have a board of management with responsibility for overall strategic planning and policy development.
The Education Training Board also wants to implement a music education partnership for Kerry, complete a youth work plan and establish a dedicated marine training centre.
The board, which has an annual budget of €52 million, excluding capital projects, currently caters for over 15,000 students at 28 ETB centres with over 1,100 staff.
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