About Our Founder
The rich history of The Institute of Education began when the founder, Raymond Kearns was born in Co. Roscommon in 1930.
He was a bright student and earned a scholarship to the local boarding school, St. Nathy’s College. Life here didn’t sit well with the young man however and at the age of 15, he left and sought employment with CIE as a clerk.
He studied for his Leaving Certificate in his spare time, with a focus on earning a place in University College Dublin, where he subsequently gained a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Always a high achiever, Raymond then won a scholarship to the University of Pittsburgh, known as ‘The Cathedral of Learning’, where he completed his Master’s degree and studied the so called ‘New Mathematics’.
When he returned to Ireland in 1961, he discovered his knowledge of the New Mathematics and it’s teaching practises were in great demand. He took the post of Senior Mathematics Master at the prestigious Gonzaga College at Ranelagh in Dublin, and at the same time, he advised the Department of Education on the New Mathematics curriculum.
While at Gonzaga, he gave private Maths tuition to students and quickly saw the potential to develop these classes into a school. The idea of The Institute of Education was then born.
The Maths classes offered at the newly established Institute of Education were so successful that a site was soon rented on Leeson Street in Dublin and the classes available were extended to include the full range of Leaving Certificate subjects.
The focus of the Institute was always on excellence and supporting students to aim for their highest achievable examination results.
As founder, Raymond Kearns’ beliefs have been instilled into The Institute of Education and were reinforced by a new generation of the Kearns family who directed the school until April 2023. In April 2023, The Institute of Education became part of the Dukes Education family of schools and the school continues grow and foster educational innovation in many ways.
Flexible learning solutions combined with the original values of hard work, determination and honesty, create an atmosphere that equips students with the skills they need to maximise their potential and be the very best that they can be.
