will homework be banned in ireland 2023

President Michael D Higgins says homework should be banned in Ireland

The country’s favourite leader believes that school activities should end at the school gate and students should be encouraged to engage in more creative pursuits

• 10:39, 21 JAN 2023

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President Michael D Higgins has called for homework to be banned.

The country’s favourite leader has given hope to a new generation of students that the bane of their afterschool evenings could be scrapped. President Higgins argues that this would make time for young people to engage in more creative pursuits outside school hours.

The former Arts Minister believes that school activities should end at the school gate. He was speaking to RTE’s news2day current affairs and news programme for children on the occasion of the programme’s 20th birthday.

Read more: Children being 'corrupted' by drug dealing situation in Oliver Bond flats, Dail told

When asked what his opinion of homework President Higgins said: “I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things.”

To mark the show’s two decades on air, students from St Kevin’s National School, Littleton, County Tipperary put questions from RTÉ news2day viewers to President Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin. In a wide-ranging interview, the children asked the President questions like, what was your favourite sport when you were in school?

When you were nine years old what did you want to be? And when did you decide you wanted to be President?

The students also asked the President about his dogs, his official trips abroad, his favourite subject in school, differences between now and when he was a child and his favourite book. The President also spoke to the children about his love of handball and the importance of friendship in their lives.

RTÉ news2day will broadcast some of the President’s interview as part of Friday afternoon’s birthday celebrations at 4.20pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ News channel and the full interview will be available later on Friday evening on the RTÉ Player. In a message to the children of Ireland and the viewers of RTÉ news2day, President Michael D. Higgins gave this advice: “To stay curious about everything and I think it’s important to make sure you don’t miss the joy of sharing information.

“And I think an important thing is friendship and to make sure that there’s no one left without friendship and that people belong. And we will all do individual things... but I think friendships that you make will in fact always be great memories and that is so important. And also have the courage to stand your own ground and let other children be allowed the space of standing their ground too because none of us are the same.

“We’re all unique but at the same time we have a lot going for us.” President Higgins also encouraged the children of Ireland to speak the Irish language.

He encouraged them to speak Irish in a fun way and to feel free to use whatever bits of the language that they have.

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Two primary school principals debate a homework ban

President Michael D Higgins ignited a national conversation about homework when he told primary school students that he believed schoolwork should be completed in school – and that children should be able to use their time at home for "other creative things".

Simon Lewis, a primary school principal in Carlow, broadly agrees with President Higgins. But Chris Donnelly, a principal in Belfast, staunchly disagrees. In recent days, Mr Lewis and Mr Donnelly debated the issue over WhatsApp, as part of The Conversation from RTÉ's Upfront with Katie Hannon.

Simon Lewis: Hi Chris, great to talk to you. Homework is one of those topics that comes up in the media from time to time as it's an emotive one and it affects family life in a direct way. To give you my own perspective, I broadly agree with President Higgins at primary level.

Chris Donnelly: Hi Simon! I've got to say that, although I’m a great admirer of President Higgins, I’m not with him on this one. I believe that we have to continue to encourage and cultivate parents’ involvement in their children’s education, and the most obvious way of ensuring that is done remains through regular and consistent homework. I do accept that, as teachers, we must constantly review and assess the value and merit of what is included in homework, but in principle I’m in favour of it remaining.

Simon Lewis: Absolutely with you in terms of cultivating parents' involvement in children's education, but I think there are far more effective ways of doing so. Perhaps it might be worth exploring what homework looks like? I think most parents experience homework as finishing off work that wasn't completed or a page or two of a workbook. I think they think every child gets the same work. I think they find it meaningless. I also think, in most cases, they are right. I'm not surprised to hear calls for it to be banned.

Chris Donnelly: We’ve heard so often about the wisdom of the proverb that "it takes a village to raise a child". We can’t nod our heads in agreement with that and yet add the caveat that, when it comes to the 3 Rs – reading, writing and arithmetic – they’re strictly for school alone.

I take the point that some homeworks can be more effective than others, but if we’re serious about promoting parental involvement in kids’ education, then we need to recognise that homework provides the framework and guidance for parents to be involved, and at the appropriate level, for their kids.

Simon Lewis: I don't know if I agree with you completely on that. There are other frameworks that can involve parents without drill and practice exercises in books. I think technology has given us the ability to communicate with families in ways we could have only imagined even 20 years ago. Schools are now equipped with complete communication systems where they can inform and help families with their child's progress in all areas. A teacher can record themselves explaining any concept, they can set individualised tasks and projects, and they can point a family to anything conceivable.

Chris Donnelly: I’ve spent all of my 20-plus years in the vocation as a teacher and school leader in school communities in what might be described as areas of higher socio-economic deprivation, so educational underachievement is an issue very close to my heart.

Children in such communities are statistically much more likely to not realise their full potential, and I have always found that a part of addressing that is to draw parents in closely to their kids’ educational experience. Homework has been integral to that as it provides both a means to guide parents, but also a way of monitoring and essentially holding parents to account, flagging up when intervention may be necessary to ascertain if there were any issues, and to provide suggestions and solutions.

One of the projects I initiated was a "dads and lads" reading initiative in inner-city north Belfast, encouraging fathers to view reading a book with their kid each night as a shared experience akin to taking their child to a football match. For that initiative, Cliftonville Football Club got on board and we were able to hold workshops attended by many, providing ideas and strategies to encourage the fathers to pick up a book each night.

Simon Lewis: That's really interesting. It sounds like we both work in very similar contexts. Funnily enough, we had a very similar programme for reading with children in the evenings as part of a research project on homework at primary level. If homework is to exist, it needs to be meaningful, fun and optional. If possible, it needs to be individualised to a child's needs.

One other point is that if we give homework, we need to focus on the 4Cs – critical thinking, collaboration, creativity and communication – as well. Again, technology is key here.

Would you think there's such a thing as bad homework?

Chris Donnelly: Oh, absolutely, Simon. I think there’s a real case for rethinking homework for the modern age. Whilst I’m obviously a strong advocate for it, I appreciate that it can come in many forms and not always in a manner that is productive.

I believe, if we perceive its function as being to not simply consolidate pupil understanding of learning themes introduced in class, but also to encourage parental input into children’s learning, then it opens up opportunities to move away from the more mundane worksheet activity and towards encouraging parents to help with, for instance, computer-based activities.

Simon Lewis: What are your thoughts on it being optional?

Chris Donnelly: Not in favour of optional homework. For me, it has to remain a part of what "education" involves for cultural reasons – to ensure buy-in across society.

I’m a great believer that kids learn from what is caught as well as what’s taught. Those incidental chats with the adults in their lives who help with the homework or who see a reference in a homework and take conversation in a different direction, perhaps revisiting a life experience.

We have to keep evaluating what we do as educators and what the impact we are having, in class and at home. That’ll necessitate changing the format and focus of homework as much as it does teaching styles and strategies in class. But getting the parents and grandparents involved in a child’s learning journey on a regular basis can only be a positive development.

Simon Lewis: Completely agree with families being involved in the learning journey. I have to admit I didn't agree with the President when he said that "time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school", because education and learning can and does happen anywhere.

However, whether a school should impose those learning experiences, I would question that. I believe schools can suggest learning activities to families if they feel there would be a benefit, but I believe it is the right of a family not to do it. With so many families much busier than back in our day, with many children spending more and more of their day in childcare, after-school clubs and so on, they have little downtime as it is.

Adding the extra stress of more work seems unjust. I have seen some good examples of schools providing a summary of what is being covered in class and a suggested list of activities on a Monday that can be done any time during the week. I also love the idea of choice boards and the Flipped Classroom concept.

Perhaps we need to reclaim the word "homework?" The mere sound of the word sends shivers down the spines of many people. It was (and probably still is in places) seen as a negative experience? Worse, for me, it is often used as a punishment.

That brings me to the opposite point, which really winds me up. I'm not sure if you ever have this in Northern Ireland. If there's ever a celebrity visitor to a school, often the first thing they will do at an assembly is ask the teachers to give the children the night off from homework! Even our politicians get in on it.

Chris Donnelly: The difficulty I would have with optional homework is that, unfortunately, my experience would lead me to believe that many of the very children who would benefit the most from the additional learning opportunities provided by homework would likely lose out as their parents could be the ones to opt out.

The current understanding and acceptance of what homework entails at least ensures all are aware that input from home is expected and is monitored in the sense that teachers and school leaders will query if and when it is not completed.

I don’t agree about free time for kids. Whilst I get that homework can be a stress point for many parents returning from work at night, the truth is that Irish children have never been more likely to be involved in after-school clubs than they are today, which is a good thing. It’s a question of balance.

Simon Lewis: What happens if a child doesn't do homework and parents are either refusing to do it, or just aren't engaging?

Chris Donnelly: That’s where we, as school leaders, intervene, knowing that their refusal will increase the probability of the child underachieving educationally. We both know there are such cases out there, and identifying the problems and challenges early is key to organising the one-to-one chats with parents, and even possibly seeking to find other ways of supporting the kids.

Simon Lewis: I get that, but for the growing number of families who might be emboldened by the President's call to action, how will you deal with outright opt-out?

Chris Donnelly: The President can speak for himself, of course, but I can’t agree with his central point about educational experiences being confined to school. If we accept that, we are destined to fail in endeavours to close achievement gaps and run the risk of failing to help kids realise their potential.

I think we can agree schools should constantly evaluate the usefulness and value of homework tasks.

Simon Lewis: What would you recommend now as good practice for homework?

Chris Donnelly: Spelling and reading are a given for me – and I’d worry about parents believing they should not have a role in these areas, not least due to how important they are to children’s educational development in the earlier years.

An element of written homework should also be incorporated. We also make use of online maths and reading programmes, which are useful for encouraging adult involvement.

Simon Lewis: It's been great to have this chat. I think, if nothing else, we've made a case that there needs to be more of a conversation about homework and what it looks like in a modern education system. I love how, in the education sector, we can have different views on different things but leave almost every conversation with something new to learn and discover!

Chris Donnelly: Absolutely, Simon. Great to chat with you. Education is always evolving, and we have to keep our minds open to fresh perspectives whilst learning from previous experiences. Thanks again!

Read last week's edition of The Conversation, where we asked Fine Gael Senator and former Government minister, Regina Doherty and People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy to debate whether Irish politicians have high standards in public office, here.

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Students and parents plead case for homework ban

School children and parents pleaded with the Minister for Education Norma Foley to step in and introduce a homework ban.

In letters to the minister, kids wrote about how they were being forced to give up hobbies because they were given so much work to do after school.

The correspondence followed comments by President Michael D Higgins in January that a ban on homework should be considered.

In one letter, a school child wrote about how seven hours of school each day was “plenty of education” and that more work on top was unnecessary.

“I do not ask for homework to be completely banned but for it to be reduced to a certain limit. Otherwise, if there is a constant build-up of homework daily, it can cause stress and even a lack of exercise which will affect a person’s well-being.”

Another said they felt homework was a “waste of time” and that a ban should be introduced.

They wrote: “Kids should be doing more creative things with their time after school. Many kids have had to stop doing hobbies they have because of it.

“It is a burden to parents, kids, and teachers [and] so for the above reasons, I think you should BAN HOMEWORK!”

Homework annoys teachers

One hand-written letter, decorated with a Minnie Mouse bow, said homework was “annoying for teachers and pupils”.

“I play soccer and love writing stories, but because of homework, I have no time for doing these things. For teachers, it gives them more copies to correct and they have to go through the trouble of deciding what [homework] to give.”

A secondary school student said that if “sleeping isn’t for school” then “work isn’t for home”.

They explained how they did between one and two hours of homework every evening after school and sometimes more.

“When I would finish, there would be barely any time for me to relax before I had to go to bed to get enough sleep to get up in the morning,” said their letter.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, our president Michael D Higgins also thinks that homework should be banned so if you don’t want to listen to me, listen to our President.”

Another suggested there could at least be a compromise so that students would not be given homework for over the weekend.

“[This would relieve] students of mental stress,” they said.

Help parents

One young student said they were left with no time to help their parents, or to learn how to cook or do other activities around the house.

They said: “We all do activities like swimming, dance, and all other sports. It’s hard work and it’s stressful and it’s unfair.”

A single parent also wrote in to explain how one of their children was getting two hours of written homework every day.

They said: “We need time to teach them life skills such as sewing, cooking, how to work the washing machine, change their own bed sheets and personal care.

“These teachings are very hard for parents with zero [time] left in the evenings. There is no time for them to spend with siblings and parents because they are so tired.”

In responses, the Department of Education told the letter writers that homework policy was not within its powers.

In emails, they said: “The Department does not issue direct guidelines relating to homework being given in schools. It is a matter for each school, at local level, to arrive at its own homework policy.

“In keeping with good practice, the process of drafting a homework policy should involve consultation with teachers, parents, and students.

“However, the Department does acknowledge that homework can play an important part in helping pupils prepare for forthcoming class work and in reinforcing work already covered during class time.”

• Education ,
• Norma Foley ,
• President Michael D Higgins ,
• Minister for Education ,
• homework ban

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President of Ireland calls on schools to stop giving pupils homework

Children should be able to use time at home ‘for other creative things’, says michael d higgins, article bookmarked.

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Schools should strive not to give pupils homework where possible, the president of Ireland has suggested.

In an utterance likely to be seized upon by children for years to come, in classrooms far beyond the shores of the Emerald Isle, Michael D Higgins argued that school should not extend beyond the final bell.

“Time in school … should get finished in school,” the president told pupils at a school in County Tipperary this week during a broadcast for RTE.

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The President Of Ireland Wants To Get Rid Of Homework & Honestly, He's Onto Something

“The time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school.”

Do you know who doesn’t like homework? Kids — and certain presidents. In an impassioned plea to the people of his nation, President Michael D. Higgins has called for a ban on homework across Ireland. And if small children were given the right to vote tomorrow, I feel fairly certain I know whose name they would be supporting on the ballot.

Higgins, who is himself a former Arts Minister of Ireland and therefore, in my opinion, knows a little about the subject, spoke to Ireland’s news program for kids RTE’s news2day at St. Kevin’s School in Tipperary about a number of subjects. What he wanted to be when he was a kid himself. What was his favorite sport in school, which he said was handball. When did he decide he wanted to be president. And then, the mutual bane of their existence — homework.

“I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things,” Higgins told his interviewers, four children hanging on his every word.

While it remains unclear if Higgins has begun any official paperwork to ban homework, which would ironically be homework for him, his sentiment resonated with his many fans. Children and social media users alike in fact. One person tweeted their appreciation of the fact that Higgins was “running his nation like the little Hobbit he is.”

Another social media user wondered if Higgins was really a “forest sprite.”

This social media user found the idea inspiring , writing, “We need a national conversation on how to bring more play, creativity, imagination, movement and positive experiences into our children’s lives. Banning homework would be a great first step.”

Higgins ended his interview with a message to children about the importance of fostering their friendships and telling them to “stay curious about everything and I think it’s important to make sure you don’t miss the joy of sharing information. And I think an important thing is friendship and to make sure that there’s no one left without friendship and that people belong. And we will all do individual things... but I think friendships that you make will in fact always be great memories and that is so important.”

I think he’s on to something.

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Ireland’s President Higgins calls for an end to homework, encourages creativity and meaningful friendships instead

Pushes for education beyond the classroom, emphasizes language learning and self-expression ..

January 24, 2023 – Ireland’s President Michael Higgins is calling for an end to homework.

When pressed on his views during an interview with RTE’s news2day – a current affairs and news program for children, Higgins said: “ I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things. ”

He also added “ I think it’s important to make sure you don’t miss the joy of sharing information. And I think an important thing is friendship and to make sure that there’s no one left without friendship and that people belong. And we will all do individual things… but I think friendships that you make will in fact always be great memories and that is so important. And also have the courage to stand your own ground and let other children be allowed the space of standing their ground too because none of us are the same. We’re all unique but at the same time we have a lot going for us .”

Furthermore, Higgins encouraged the children of Ireland to speak the Irish language.

While the role of president in Ireland is mainly a ceremonial one, it does have some sway over how the government operates.

Even though it remains unclear if Higgins has begun any official paperwork to ban homework, which would irony be homework for him, his sentiment resonated with his many fans.

Homework banned in Ireland? Are my student dreams coming true? According to IrishMirror, President Michael D Higgins has called for homework to be banned as he thinks students can engage in more creative pursuits outside school hours. pic.twitter.com/MLfXlAzAhN — Nare (@Nare33242443) January 24, 2023

President Higgins calls for homework to be banned. It’s such a pity the *head of state* has no actual power on matters. This is such a smart and wise idea. The usual brigade will be out against this, but its the right thing to do for young people https://t.co/Qub7fJnTAA — Dylan (@dylancongolf) January 20, 2023

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Michael d higgins calls for no homework policy in ireland.

• // January 27, 2023

As a kid or a parent, everyone can recall the joy of a no homework Friday – the freedom, the brain space, and the endless possibilities the evening brought. Now, the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins wants every day to be a no homework Friday.

As a parent, you may have regular battles with your children about completing their homework, and having been there, and done that yourself, sometimes you can actually relate to the feeling of dread when a pile of work is on the agenda for the evening in each and every subject.

People Of Ireland googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("RC_Mobile_MPU_TOP"); }); Great News For Children & Teenagers All Schools Will Be Giving No Homework Michael D Higgins Was Interviewed About Homework and He Said: Homework Should Not Be Given Children Should Have More Time At Home For Their Activities. #Ireland #BANNED #Homework pic.twitter.com/5zkMldad3e — 🇮🇪𝔼𝕍𝔸ℕ🇮🇪 (@EvanTheIrishMan) January 22, 2023 googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display("RC_Mobile_Interscroller"); });

RELATED: Classes, activities, homework and more – Is your child over-scheduled?

Your child (or once upon a time, yourself) may advocate for no homework and label it as “unfair” and the truth is – they may be right according to the President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins!

The beloved Irish President and former Minister for Arts Michael D Higgins has stated that he believes homework should be scrapped in favour of more artistic, innovative, and passionate pursuits. He explains that time at home and time at school should be separated.

In a radio appearance for RTE ’s news2day current affairs and news programme for children, the President was quizzed by children about his feelings on homework, and advocating for children and a no homework policy Michael D says, “I think myself, really that the time at home and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things”.

RELATED: Do you struggle with your child’s homework?

He also offered some sage (and very sweet) advice to the children of Ireland, sharing the importance of curiosity and friendship, “To stay curious about everything and I think it’s important to make sure you don’t miss the joy of sharing information”.

“And I think an important thing is friendship and to make sure that there’s no one left without friendship and that people belong. And we will all do individual things… but I think friendships that you make will in fact always be great memories and that is so important”.

He elaborated by saying that he thinks we should include people and allow people to just be themselves, “We’re all unique but at the same time we have a lot going for us”. Naturally, he also encouraged everyone to continue speaking our native language!

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President Michael D Higgins has suggested homework should be done in school to allow time for creative pursuits

President Michael D Higgins

President Michael D Higgins and his dog

President Michael D Higgins has said he believes homework should be done in school, so children can spend more time pursuing creative activities.

The President said “time in school… should get finished in school.”

Mr Higgins weighed on the homework debate while speaking to pupils from St Kevin's National School, Littleton, Co Tipperary on a special, 20th anniversary, episode of RTÉ’s news2day programme.

“People should be able to use their time for other creative things,” he said.

“I think as much as possible that [homework] should happen in the school and I think it’s more relaxed than it used to be.”

President Higgins is due to complete his second term in office in 2025.

Speaking about his time in office, he said the week he spent in Creeslough, Co Donegal, following the explosion which killed ten people last October had been one of the most significant moments of his presidency.

“A very moving one for me was the week I spent with the people of Creeslough, with the people who had suffered that terrible damage in their community, and they had eight funerals and a great deal of grief,” he said.

Meanwhile, the President spoke about a number of different issues during the special episode.

He told how an “emotional” moment for him and his wife Sabina was his inauguration at Dublin Castle.

President Higgins also talked about his two dogs, Bród agus Misneach, and admitted that Bród is probably one of the most famous dogs in Ireland.

"He's probably a very famous dog now. He will be 11 in February, which is a very good age for a Bernese Mountain dog and Bród is wonderful,” he said.

"He came here at six weeks old, so he's lived all of his life at the Áras."

Mr Higgins also shared a special message with the children of Ireland, encouraging them to be kind to one another and to keep the Irish language alive.

“An important thing is friendship and to make sure that there’s no one left without friendship. We’ll all do individual things past that, but I think the friendships that you make will also be great memories,” he said.

“It’s also important to stand your own ground and let other children be allowed the space to stand their ground too. None of us are the same, we’re all unique but I would say, at the same time, we have a lot going for us.”

“The hope of the Irish language is with young people… Speak Irish in a way that gives you pleasure. Whatever bits of it you have use it, and don’t be worried. We’re not aiming for the Nobel Prize, we’re just saying the language that was our own language from the very beginning, thousands of years ago.”

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President of Ireland calls for homework to be banned

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins. (Source: Getty)

The President of Ireland has made his thoughts known about homework, saying it should be left at the gate and children should be able to use their leisure time for "creative things".

Speaking to RTE’s news2day - a current affairs and news programme for children, Michael D Higgins answered questions on a wide range of topics, the Irish Mirror reports .

When pressed on his views about homework Higgins said: “I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things.”

Higgins, a former arts minister, told children “to stay curious about everything and I think it’s important to make sure you don’t miss the joy of sharing information.

“And I think an important thing is friendship and to make sure that there’s no one left without friendship and that people belong. And we will all do individual things... but I think friendships that you make will in fact always be great memories and that is so important.

“And also have the courage to stand your own ground and let other children be allowed the space of standing their ground too because none of us are the same.

“We’re all unique but at the same time we have a lot going for us.”

Higgins also encouraged the children of Ireland to speak the Irish language.

While the role of president in Ireland is mainly a ceremonial one, it does have some sway over how the government operates.

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27th Jan 2023

No plans to abolish homework, says Minister Foley

Kat O'Connor

Do you think homework should be scrapped in Ireland?

Minister for Education Norma Foley has said she has no plans to abolish homework in Ireland.

The Minister commented on the issue after President Michael D. Higgins suggested recently that homework be scrapped so that children could pursue “other creative things”.

But Foley does not agree, stating that it is up to each individual school to set its own homework policy.

“It would not be appropriate for a Government Minister to engage in the public debate with the office of the President,” she told the Irish Mirror .

Foley added that schools can make their own homework policies and that it is not up to the Government to scrap homework.

“These policies are created in conjunction with senior management and staff, the boards of management, parents, and the pupils,” she explained.

“Schools are in of themselves places where creative pursuits are cultivated, nurtured and encouraged. “That creativity may also be reflected in homework.”

While appearing on  RTÉ news2day to mark its 20th anniversary, the President of Ireland was asked by students from St Kevin’s National School in Littleton, Tipperary his thoughts on homework.

“I think myself, really that the time at home and the time in school is an educational experience,” he responded.

“It should get finished at the school.”

“People should be able to use their time for other creative things.”

In regard to homework, many parents feel it takes up too much of their children’s time during the evening.

However, others argue it helps kids make more progress in school and that it benefits their communication and reading skills.

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Parent 'When she can’t figure something out for homework, we head into nuclear meltdown'

OUR PRESIDENT MICHAEL D Higgins recently made headlines when he called for homework to be banned in Ireland , saying “People should be able to use their time for other creative things”.

As a parent, I felt that this was such a welcome breath of fresh air. I have one child in sixth class and one in first year, and I feel like we have been arguing about homework since the dawn of time.

At its peak, I was working a job that was a 90-minute commute each way. I would drop them to the childminder at 6.30 am and collect them at 6 pm. And really, who doesn’t want to come home from a gruelling 12-hour day to teach themselves long division so they can then teach a grumpy, overtired and hungry child, who has never been more certain about anything as they are about the fact that they absolutely do not want to learn long division tonight.

The homework dance

I have since moved to a job much closer to home, where I have a much more flexible working arrangement. But it hasn’t made the homework dance any less tedious. My sixth classer is absolutely shocked and outraged every single evening. No matter how many warnings I give, or the fact that we have been doing this for almost eight years, it’s always the same story. One of her teachers used the phrase ‘passive non-compliance’ and it is an excellent way to describe her approach.

Instead of refusing to do homework, she agrees it has to be done. She is rational and logical; she understands. Then she disappears off upstairs and I only remember 40 minutes later.

I curse myself once I realise. I know better. She drags the bag downstairs and tips the contents onto the table. An open yoghurt rolls onto the floor. I ask for her journal and she pretends to look through the mess, in the same way  that I pretend to look for my wallet when the restaurant bill arrives. I refuse to look away because she is the opposite of every horror movie villain and actually stops moving altogether once I break eye contact.

We find the journal. At this point in the year, it has been carefully decorated with various fruit and yoghurt spills. It has an interesting odour and overall, I would prefer it not to touch anything in the kitchen. She hasn’t written down her homework and is as surprised by this development as I am. She offers to text her class, which could yield a response in 10 minutes or four hours. It’s getting closer to dinner and we both know I need the table cleared. If she moves the books upstairs to her room, we will never see them again.

The tension builds like the pile of empty Frubes at the bottom of her bag and I ask her to read a book until someone responds.

Her phone finally pings with the homework and we both survey the list in silence. It’s very maths-heavy. We could be here all night. She is adamant she has never seen these sums in her life, and the teacher has never covered them. I suppress the urge to headbutt the table and instead call my older daughter to help because in an unprovoked act of violence, they changed the way they do maths, and my way is apparently wrong (I am not sure it was ever right).

Brace yourself

The older daughter is in first year and hasn’t needed homework help in years. She gets it done herself, every evening. At her first-year parent-teacher meetings, her maths teacher noted that her homework is usually done before the bell even rings. But aside from gaining some admirable time management skills, I don’t see any real benefit for her (or the teachers who have to correct the work she flew through in minutes).

The work that isn’t done inside the bell comes home in a school bag which I have to brace myself before lifting and which has been responsible for the downfall of many hooks under the stairs.

I can only imagine what it is doing to her spine. When she can’t figure something out for homework, we head into nuclear meltdown levels. The kids have to have a certain level of understanding before they can explain to us what needs to be done. If they have that, they don’t need to do homework, and if they don’t, they can’t get the homework done.

Since starting secondary, she now has homework on weekends and over midterms, along with project work and study for regular assessments. Yet every time I hear discussions on how to get kids more active and outdoors, we never seem to address how much time they are spending while sitting down doing schoolwork, or how many evenings they spend alone in their bedrooms. We don’t question if this work will be beneficial to them in later life, or why we give up so many evenings to this.

Do they benefit?

The school day is so long for them as it is and already incorporates so much information that they will leave at the school gates and never use in adulthood (looking at you, long division). Childhood development experts say that a general guideline for attention spans is two to three minutes per year of age. So you can reasonably expect a 10-year-old to focus for 20 to 30 minutes, yet we are asking them to focus and re-focus for up to seven hours.

How much of the day can they actually retain? And then, while they are overwhelmed and exhausted we expect them to learn thousands of little life lessons too, like making friends, navigating friendship groups and learning new skills in the yard or the PE hall. They might not sit at a desk for the whole time but they are learning for the duration of the school day and they come home exhausted.

The expectation to then sit down and do more work very often pushes them over the edge.

For a country that has recently negotiated the right to switch off , can we not argue the same for our kids? Ireland has had a code of practice on the right to disconnect since 2021. This applies to all employees and provides guidance on the right to disengage from work outside of your working hours. It is not best practice, it is the basic standard in law, and a bare minimum to try and avoid burnout. School is already a full-time job. Why are we putting so many demands on such young minds and overworking them before they even start work?

Schools in Finland are miles ahead on this front . Although Finnish schools do not give homework, they lead global scores for maths and science. The belief is that activities such as having dinner with family, exercising or getting good rest are far more beneficial to a child’s performance in school, and overall mental health. Kids can help to prepare dinners, hang out with friends or read a book. How many more kids would settle down with a book in the evening if they weren’t staring at books in frustration for most of the day? And how much more would they get out of their school day if they began it with a fresh and rested mind?

Although an increase in school performance is hugely beneficial, we have to remind ourselves that it isn’t the end goal. High maths and science scores won’t guarantee happy adults. Unfortunately, we can’t do anything to guarantee the happiness or success of our kids later in life.

But helping them find something they are great at in childhood, or a hobby that brings meaning or value to their lives, is how we can provide them with the tools for adulthood.

Our unquestioning acceptance of homework goes against what we know about activity, exercise and even mental health. How many hours do we want our kids sitting down each day? How much time should they spend working? And how much of the evenings and weekends should belong to the school?

We have an opportunity to make things easier for the generations after us. And as a wise woman once said, “Don’t make unnecessary journeys”. This could be an opportunity to make a real difference, to remove something which serves no purpose, and to give families back their precious evenings.

Margaret is a busy mum, working and living in Kildare.  

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Schoolchildren and parents urge minister to introduce homework ban

The Department of Education told the letter writers that homework policy was not within its powers. File picture: PA

Schoolchildren and parents have pleaded with Education Minister Norma Foley to step in and introduce a homework ban.

In letters to the minister, children wrote about how they were being forced to give up hobbies because they were given so much work to do after school.

The correspondence followed comments by President Michael D Higgins in January that a ban on homework should be considered.

In one letter, a child wrote about how seven hours of school each day was “plenty of education”.

“I do not ask for homework to be completely banned but for it to be reduced to a certain limit. 

Otherwise, if there is a constant build-up of homework daily, it can cause stress and even a lack of exercise which will affect a person’s well-being.

Another wrote: “Kids should be doing more creative things with their time after school. Many kids have had to stop doing hobbies because of it." 

One handwritten letter, decorated with a Minnie Mouse bow, said homework was “annoying for teachers and pupils”.

“I play soccer and love writing stories, but because of homework, I have no time for doing these things. For teachers, it gives them more copies to correct and they have to go through the trouble of deciding what homework to give.” 

A secondary school student said that if “sleeping isn’t for school” then “work isn’t for home”.

“When I would finish homework, there would be barely any time for me to relax before I had to go to bed to get enough sleep to get up in the morning,” said their letter.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, our president Michael D Higgins also thinks that homework should be banned so if you don’t want to listen to me, listen to our President.” 

What's your view on this issue?

You can tell us here

A single parent also wrote in to explain how one of their children was getting two hours of written homework every day.

They said: “We need time to teach them life skills such as sewing, cooking, how to work the washing machine, change their own bed sheets, and personal care.

“These teachings are very hard for parents with zero time left in the evenings. There is no time for them to spend with siblings and parents because they are so tired.” 

Department response

In response, the Department of Education told the letter writers that homework policy was not within its powers.

In emails, the department said: "It is a matter for each school, at local level, to arrive at its own homework policy.

“In keeping with good practice, the process of drafting a homework policy should involve consultation with teachers, parents, and students.

“However, the department does acknowledge that homework can play an important part in helping pupils prepare for forthcoming class work and in reinforcing work already covered during class time.”

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The president of Ireland hates homework like the rest of us

Higgins is making headlines for a not-so-controversial new opinion.

A few minutes every morning is all you need.

Stay up to date on the world's Headlines and Human Stories. It's fun, it's factual, it's fluff-free.

You may know Irish President Michael D. Higgins for his cool dogs that he brings to press conferences and speeches. His Bernese mountain dogs are called Bród and Misneach, and we’re big fans of theirs.  

Or you may know Higgins as the president who signed the historic bill that officially legalized abortion all over Ireland in 2018.

Now, Higgins is making headlines for a not-so-controversial new opinion. He’s suggesting that schools try to avoid giving students homework when possible. He said, “Time in school … should get finished in school,” when he visited a school last week during a broadcast for RTÉ, Ireland’s national broadcaster. Children from the school had asked him many questions (yes, they did ask about the dogs). And when he was pressed on his views of homework, he didn’t play around.

While Higgins didn’t say that all homework should be outright banned, he’s clearly not a fan. “I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things,” Higgins explained . Before he was president, Higgins was an arts minister, so his encouragement of children’s creativity is pretty on brand.

He went on to invite the schoolchildren to stay curious and to find joy in sharing information. It seems this guy does want children to get something out of their education – just not more homework.

Higgins had more amazing life advice to share. “And I think an important thing is friendship and to make sure that there’s no one left without friendship and that people belong. And we will all do individual things ... but I think friendships that you make will in fact always be great memories and that is so important,” he said in an RTÉ news2day broadcast, addressing Ireland’s children.

“And also have the courage to stand your own ground and let other children be allowed the space of standing their ground too because none of us are the same.

“We’re all unique but at the same time we have a lot going for us.”

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Norma Foley won't debate homework with President Michael Higgins after his call for it to be banned

Minister Foley finally broke her silence on the matter last night when she told the Irish Mirror that she was not going to get into it with the President.

• 06:00, 26 JAN 2023
• Updated 09:54, 26 JAN 2023

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Education Minister Norma Foley is refusing to debate the homework ban issue with Michael D Higgins after the President called for schoolwork outside of school hours to be scrapped.

Instead, she said it is up to schools to decide homework policy, which is at odds with the President’s call for schoolwork to be left at the school gate.

The controversial comments, made on RTE’s news2day children’s news programme, have had the country’s students, teachers and parents debating the issue since the remarks were made last Friday by the President.

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She said: “It would not be appropriate for a Government Minister to engage in public debate with the office of the President.

“Currently schools are free to have their own policy on homework and these policies are created in conjunction with senior management and staff, the boards of management, parents and the pupils.

“Schools are in of themselves places where creative pursuits are cultivated, nurtured and encouraged and that creativity may also be reflected in homework.”

Meanwhile, a Government Minister has said that it is “important” to include children in discussions about homework policies in schools.

It comes days after President Higgins’ call for homework to be banned at home and for all work to stay in the classroom.

Irish Mirror readers were also overwhelmingly in favour of banning homework, with 98% of our readers in favour.

In a landslide decision, 57,440 readers voted yes, while just 1,211 voted no.

In an interview with RTÉ’s news2day, President Higgins said that he believed that time at home should be spent doing more creative activities,

He said: “I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things."

Minister Foley recently said that her Department does “not issue any guidelines relating to homework being given in schools.

“It is a matter for each school, at local level, to arrive at its own homework policy”.

It followed a question from Fine Gael Minister of State Neale Richmond who asked if research has been carried out by her Department into the benefits of ending the provision of homework for primary school pupils.

He told the Irish Mirror that children should be involved in conversations about their schools homework policy.

Minister Richmond said: “I submitted the Parliamentary Question following a visit to one of my local primary schools.

“The pupils were genuinely interested in the policy relating to homework going forward and I agreed it’s an important discussion to involve pupils in.”

Minister Foley told her Government colleague that the Department of Education has not commissioned research on the matter.

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Your answers: Should homework be banned?

We asked, you answered.

Last month, we asked our audience  how they felt about homework.

This was because Ireland’s president, Michael D. Higgins, made comments in an interview about letting kids have time for “other creative things.”

After the interview aired, a lot of news outlets wrote articles about the idea of a ban on homework.

Since kids are the ones doing homework, we wanted to know what you thought.

Is homework an important part of learning? Or should it be banned from all classrooms?

Check out some of the responses here:

Have more questions? Want to tell us how we're doing? Use the “send us feedback” link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

TOP IMAGE CREDIT: (Getty Images, graphic design by Philip Street)

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Have your say: Should homework be banned in New Zealand

• William Hewett

With Kiwi school kids set to return to the classroom this week or next, it'll see the return of homework for students, but one world leader believes it should be banned. 

To the potential delight of many students around New Zealand, Michael D Higgins, the President of Ireland, has called for homework to be banned in Ireland.

"I think myself, really that the time at home, and the time in the school is an educational experience and it should get finished at the school and people should be able to use their time for other creative things," Higgins said when speaking to RTE's news2day.

Higgins argues by banning homework, it would allow young people to engage in more creative pursuits outside school hours.

"I think an important thing is friendship and to make sure that there's no one left without friendship and that people belong. And we will all do individual things... but I think friendships that you make will in fact always be great memories and that is so important," Higgins, a former Arts Minister, told children. 

"And also have the courage to stand your own ground and let other children be allowed the space of standing their ground too because none of us are the same. We're all unique but at the same time we have a lot going for us." 

So what do you think, should homework be banned in Aotearoa?

Disclaimer: This straw poll is not scientific and closes after 24 hours. Our poll provider Opinion Stage automatically shuts off polls if it detects bot voting.

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Euro 2024 star forced to bring his HOMEWORK to Germany as he fears teacher ‘might get mad at me’

• Philip Cadden , Night Sports Editor
• Published : 16:55 ET, Jun 11 2024
• Updated : 9:11 ET, Jun 12 2024
• Published : Invalid Date,

LAMINE YAMAL will aim to deliver top marks for Spain at Euro 2024 after taking his homework to Germany.

The Barcelona wonderkid, 16, is set to be the youngest player to appear at a Euros final against Croatia in Berlin on Saturday.

Winger Yamal will be 16 years and 338 days, breaking Brighton and Poland midfielder Kacper Kozłowski’s record of 17 years and 246 days at Euro 2020.

Yamal said: "I’ve brought my homework with me because I’m finishing high school. I have classes on the web and I’m doing well, I hope the teacher doesn’t fail me."

Yamal has had a stunning breakthrough season at Barca and the teen star has already played 57 games for club and country this term, scoring nine goals.

But, rather than preparing for his summer holidays like most kids his age, Yamal - viewed as one of the best young talents in the world - is dreaming of success on Europe’s biggest stage.

Yamal, who turns 17 in July, added: "Before, I was watching the Euros lying on the sofa with my mother.

"We’re not here for a stroll, but to make history. I hope to go far in the Euros."

After his Barca debut in La Liga in April 2023, the 5ft 7in star became Spain ’s youngest debutant at 16 years, 57 days in the September of the same year, scoring in a 7-1 European qualifier in Georgia after coming on at half time.

He broke both of Gavi’s records by becoming the youngest player and goalscorer for La Roja.

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The seven-cap wideman is now a starter for Luis de la Fuente’s side and he set up two goals in last Saturday’s 5-1 friendly win over Northern Ireland in Mallorca.

But 21-year-old Pedri says his team-mate for club and country does not need any help ahead of future Group B clashes against Italy and Albania .

EURO 2024 LIVE: LATEST UPDATES FROM THE TOURNAMENT

Pedri said: "There’s little advice I can give him. On the pitch he doesn’t think too much about the pressure. He has fun playing and you can see that. If there’s anything I can help him with, I will."

Spain Euro 2024 guide

SPAIN’S team may not be a patch on the one that dominated world football 15 years ago - which had superstars coming out of its ears.

But they still topped a qualifying group consisting of Scotland and Erling Haaland's Norway by winning nine out of ten games.

MANAGER: Luis de la Fuente

Surprise choice as coach but won the Under-21 Euros in 2019 and an Olympic silver medal a year later.

KEY MAN: Rodri

Rodri is arguably the greatest holding midfielder the Premier League has ever seen. But will he have enough left in the tank after complaints of tiredness at Man City?

How Spain attack

Spain will be a different side to that which we have seen in recent years, with the 4-3-3 replaced by a more structured 4-2-3-1 formation.

The full-backs, attacking midfielders and wingers are all ready to push forward while Rodri and Fabian Ruiz sit deep in the quarterback role.

How Spain defend

Spain's two deep midfielders allow the rest of the team to push forward and press high up the pitch.

Their focus will be on either dispossessing the opposition defence or forcing opponents to play long by cutting off the short pass option.

Read the full Spain Euro 2024 guide here , including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags

• Lamine Yamal