News: Global Village
The CHRCE is delighted to be a part of the Global Village programme. In partnership with the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) and Trócaire on this new three-year programme. In September 2023, Irish Aid, at the Department of Foreign Affairs, awarded the Global Village consortium €1.2 million to manage and deliver a new strategic approach to Global Citizenship Education (GCE) in primary schools between 2023 and 2026.
There are 42,999 appointed primary teachers in Ireland (Department of Education, 2023). Providing a wider and deeper programme of professional support to all primary school teachers and school leaders to further integrate GCE into primary schools across Ireland is a central concern for the programme. In 2020, Irish Aid (2020) reported that over 29% of primary schools were supported to deliver some level of GCE and just under 4,000 primary teachers or student teachers received some professional development in GCE related themes. Yet, there remains significant opportunities for GCE practice to be strengthened.
In 2022, CHRCE members Dr Maria Barry, Dr Ben Mallon, Dr Ashling Bourke and Dr Joe Usher carried out a national survey and study of GCE in primary schools. Findings from the study demonstrate that teachers have an overall positive inclination towards GCE and rate the importance of children learning about GCE extremely highly.Teachers also listed a wide range of factors that support and hinder the teaching of GCE in schools including: resources, teacher passion, knowledge and interest, children’s engagement, school ethos and the curriculum.
Over the next three years and more, Global Village seeks to build a range of supports and initiatives for primary school communities in a way that ensures national reach and quality provision to ensure that primary school pupils are supported to participate as active global citizens committed to building a fairer and more sustainable world.