FORMER MOUNTJOY PRISON governor John Lonergan will tonight lead an exploration into how the education system in Ireland is failing parts of society.

In John Lonergan’s School Principles, to be aired tonight on RTÉ1 at 9.35pm, he visits parents, educators and children around the country to find out how and why some children don’t finish school – or why some managed to remain in education despite the odds.

One story featured is that of teenagers in the Life Centre in Cork, a centre that provides education for those who have dropped out of the system. Another is that of young people in Moyross, Limerick who have dropped out of or weren’t accepted by schools in their area.

As Lonergan asserts that the “one size fits all” education system in Ireland is not working for a percentage of our young people, we’d like to hear your ideas on how to improve the education system we have.

Have you thoughts on how the curriculum should change, the access to schooling, the methodologies? Let us know in the comments section.

This trailer of tonight’s show – from makers Wildfire Films – gives a taste of some of the avenues explored:

(RTÉ/Youtube)

This excerpt shows one of the young people in Moyross tell his story through rap:

(RTÉ/Youtube)