Schools urged to ease financial burden on parents

The Minister for Education has called on school principals to ease the financial burden on parents after some schools demanded the purchase of iPads and digital devices.

Minister Hildegarde Naughton intervened after parents raised concerns and she has now written to school principals.

In the letter, the minister states that there is no requirement for students to have their own laptop or device for the Junior Cycle or the Senior Cycle.

The minister highlighted research commissioned by her department which showed that access to digital technologies alone does not guarantee improved outcomes.

"I appreciate that decisions on the use of digital devices rest with the Board of Management of each school. I am conscious, however, that a growing number of schools have introduced, or are considering introducing, arrangements that involve a requirement that students use digital devices, in some cases through school‑facilitated purchasing arrangements with third‑party providers," she wrote.

The minister added that some parents are being asked to spend considerable amounts of money on devices and in some cases, families have been directed toward commercial credit arrangements to meet these costs.

"Such arrangements place a significant financial burden on families, some of whom cannot afford to meet the cost of purchasing devices," she said.

The letter goes on to advise schools to engage with parents before any decisions are made and to consider the views of those who may not be on a parents' association.