No SuperValu for Schools in PE scheme.
February 10, 2008 by Joe Fogarty
Education campaign condemns SuperValu P.E. promotion in schools as “Kids in Advertising”.
As the crisis over school funding deepens, the Campaign for Commercial-Free Education has strongly criticised SuperValu’s “Kids in Action” promotion, launched today, for exploiting this underfunding for the own commercial gain.
Describing the multi-million euro scheme as exploitative, self-serving and discriminatory, the Campaign rubbishes the claim that primary schools receive any “Free” Sports Equipment.
GAA Trainer Football (RRP €11.70) = €3,190 worth of receipts.
Tag Rugby Belts (RRP €27) = €10,630 worth of receipts.
Gymnastics Springboard (RRP €250) = €39,920 worth of shopping.
(Source: 2008 Kids in Action Catalogue)
Campaign for Commercial-Free Education chairperson Joseph Fogarty said “The losers in this scheme are the small schools, poor schools and special schools who cannot raise these massive amounts in just 10 weeks. In the face of an childhood obesity epidemic, the government provides no grant towards PE equipment in primary schools and teachers must sell commercial access to their students in return for meagre resources.”
The Campaign challenges the Irish Sports Council to defend their support for such a discriminatory and profit-driven scheme and calls on the Minister for Education to prohibit marketing in schools.
Both the INTO and the Irish Primary Principals Network have taken a stance against voucher collection schemes in schools and encourage all members not to advertise for, collect or count supermarket shopping receipts.
Further Information from:
Joseph Fogarty MEd, Chairperson CCFE Niall Smyth BEd, Vice-Chairperson CCFE
