Traveller Culture & History in Ireland A Landmark Report

DR.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has published a landmark report into what is known about Traveller Culture and History in Ireland

In Ireland, while there is almost full participation by Traveller children in primary schools, and a high transfer rate of Travellers to post primary education, attendance, participation and retention rates remain poor. The reasons for these poor attendance, participation and retention rates across the continuum of education are complex. Travellers’ reluctance to participate in education is often perceived as a salient feature of Traveller culture, however, studies have found that Traveller parents, and their children, are very receptive to education, despite their own reported negative experiences of school. The trend of poor participation needs to be understood within the context of the long history of discrimination and racism experienced by the Traveller community.

Historically, Travellers were often educated in segregated settings. The 1963 Report on the Commission of Itinerancy recommended establishing ‘special schools’ and ‘special classes’ for Travellers. By the end of the twentieth century, it was widely accepted that a more inclusive framework was needed. In the 2006 Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy, the Department of Education and Science (DES) promoted the integration of Travellers, at all levels, into the mainstream education system.

Research shows that Traveller students attending Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) schools have low scores in English, Reading, and Maths standardised tests, in comparison with the general population and ‘other’ minority ethnic groups. While a sizeable proportion of Travellers attend DEIS schools, it is estimated that half attend non-DEIS schools. It is not known if there is a significant difference in achievement for specific groups, such as Travellers attending non-DEIS schools, as this data is not available.

Explanations for poor attendance and participation are usually framed within the context of ‘push’ and ‘pull’ factors. ‘Push’ factors identified in the literature include: education policy; exposure to discrimination and racism; low teacher expectations and internalised low expectations; exclusion and isolation; poor relationships with their teachers and non-Traveller peers; a lack of a sense of belonging; the irrelevance of the curriculum and an overall lack of adequate support. The ‘pull’ factors identified, usually reference ‘cultural norms’, such as, nomadism, the tendency to marry young and the lure of the Traveller economy.

While some Travellers may leave school early because of ‘pull’ factors, research strongly suggests that poor participation is more likely due to ‘push’ factors.

Considering what is known about the significance of ‘push’ factors, there are a number of steps that can be taken to improve Traveller education. For example, building trust is important, as many Traveller parents experienced negativity in their own schooling. Addressing the irrelevance of the curriculum is also important. There has been a lot of work done in this area. In 2019, NCCA published the Traveller Culture and History in the Curriculum: A Curriculum Audit, which identifies curriculum areas, subjects and learning outcomes through which children and young people’s understanding of Traveller culture and history can be advanced in the curriculum across the different sectors. In 2023, NCCA published a research paper to support teaching and learning about Traveller culture and history. The research paper provides an overview of what is currently known, understood and has been recorded regarding the various aspects of Traveller culture and history.

Travellers often report having better experiences in primary school than in post-primary school. There is a need to gather more data on the experiences of Travellers across the continuum of education. Having access to such data would assist with planning and the development of future targeted interventions.

Research references available on request to editor@ippn.ie