There have been some reports in the media recently regarding funding for Educate Together. We have had some queries so would like to clarify our financial position with our supporters and friends.
Educate Together's board of directors called an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) to inform and consult with members in relation to the financial affairs of the company on Saturday 23 January. The EGM was called to pass a resolution approving a set of emergency financial measures that the board deemed necessary to secure the financial sustainability of the organisation. We are happy to report that the members voted to implement these measures.
Here are the facts:
- Educate Together is patron body and an independent NGO that relies on Government grants, charitable donations and a network of volunteers to keep us going and growing.
- More parents than ever want to send their children to an Educate Together school. Our national office is inundated by queries from families who want Educate Together schools in their communities. Our existing schools are reporting that many thousands of children’s names are being signed up to already oversubscribed waiting lists.
- It costs Educate Together up to €90,000 to establish and open each new primary school – we currently receive a Government payment of just €10,000 per school to do this.
- Educate Together made history recently with the opening of our first 4 groundbreaking second-level schools. We receive no Government funding for the opening, establishment and support of these second-level schools.
- This lack of State funding is putting Educate Together's vital work opening schools at risk, and this may impact on our ability to open new Educate Together schools in the future. This will in no way impact on the viability and future growth of existing Educate Together schools. â
- We are engaged in ongoing negotiations with the Department of Education to remedy this situation and to develop a realistic grant structure for opening new schools.
- We are also engaging with all candidates in the run up to the General Election on the need for a properly funded new schools programme.
- Educate Together has a long-term plan for sustainability. As the network grows, our dependence on fundraised income decreases.
Will you consider supporting Educate Together’s work with a financial gift today? We are asking our members and supporters to assist with Educate Together's immediate funding difficulty. Contributions, whether they are a single donation or a monthly contribution, mean that we can continue to open schools, support them and ensure children are receiving the highest quality of ethical education.
Further information on Educate Together's finances and governance can be found here.
