Introduction

Abstract

During the early decades of the nineteenth century a very large proportion of the world’s population had not been touched by formal education at a basic level. Nation states though, motivated by a desire to “civilize,” regulate, and control “the masses”, were beginning to support the establishment of systems for the provision of universal elementary schooling, albeit with much of it directed by the Christian churches. Leading the way were the industrialised nations in North America and Western Europe, and the British colonies of Australia and New Zealand. In England, however, members of the political classes influenced by the prevailing laissez-faire philosophy, were relatively slow in entertaining a view that government should be involved in the direct provision of education. In contrast, a number of highly influential Irish Members of Parliament persuaded the government of the United Kingdom that Ireland should have a non-denominational State-funded school system. An outcome was the establishment in 1831 of the National System of Primary Education (the Irish National School System). Moreover, between 1900 and 1922, a highly innovative child-centred curriculum was introduced under that system for implementation nationally.