Skip to main content
Normal View

Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 27 Jun 2000

Vol. 522 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - School Staffing.

St. Teresa's national school, Killflynn, Tralee, County Kerry, currently has four teachers. However, it is about to suffer the loss of one of those teachers because in September 1999 pupil numbers fell below the level required to retain a fourth teacher. Although pupil numbers fell below the required figure at that stage, it has since taken on additional pupils. The total number of pupils in the school is now 85, two more than the required level of 83.

The school has appealed to the Department of Education and Science for permission to retain its fourth teacher but I understand that its efforts have been to no avail. The school authorities are concerned about the loss of the teacher and they believe it will be extremely detrimental to the children's education. Their concerns arise for the following reasons.

Additional pressures will be placed on teachers who are already teaching two classes and who will now be obliged to take a third class, despite the fact that pupil numbers are above the level required for four teachers. The current classrooms are approximately half the recommended size for classrooms set out in the Department's guidelines for new buildings. The school authorities are already concerned about the number of children accommodated in these small rooms and they must now deal with a situation where a classroom will have to be closed. As a result, the additional children will have to be accommodated in already overcrowded rooms. There will also be a need to introduce a new curriculum in light of this position. The authorities are also concerned about the school's current lack of facilities – it has no sports hall, drama hall or arts area and there are few outside sheltered play areas.

For children to partake fully in the new curriculum to which I refer, an onus will be placed on the school to transport them to outside facilities. This will probably not be possible if the school loses a teacher while retaining its current number of pupils. The safety of the children may also be jeopardised due to the physical layout of the school's play areas, which make it difficult for three teachers to provide adequate supervision during break times. The children already experience a certain level of disadvantage as a result of living in a rural area, where access to social amenities is restricted. The loss of a teacher will increase this disadvantage because it will be difficult for the remaining teachers to support extra-curricular activities.

I call on the Minister to recognise the difficulties presented by the mixed age group vertical teaching model which is so common in rural schools. I urge him to review the teacher-pupil ratio in such circumstances. I understand there are a further 50 schools with problems similar to those which obtain at St. Teresa's. However, St. Teresa's now has 85 pupils, two above the requirement for a fourth teacher, and I believe its case should be given priority over other schools. The parents and teachers involved with St. Teresa's would welcome it if the Minister could respond positively.

I welcome the opportunity to address the House in relation to the staffing position in St. Teresa's primary school, Killflynn, Tralee, County Kerry.

The staffing of a primary school for a particular year is determined by reference to the number of pupils enrolled in the school on 30 September of the previous year. This is agreed between the Department of Education and Science and the relevant unions and has been the status quo for many years. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule. The staffing schedule is determined for a particular year following discussions with the managerial authorities and the INTO.

The enrolment of this particular school on 30 September 1998 was 86 pupils, which warrants a staffing for the current school year of a principal and three mainstream class teachers. The school also has the services of a shared remedial teacher. However, the enrolment of the school on 30 September 1999 was 81 pupils which warrants a staffing for the 2000-01 school year of a principal and two mainstream class teachers. The number of pupils required to retain the third mainstream class teacher for the 2000-01 school year is a minimum of 83. Unfortunately, the school will lose the third mainstream class teaching post at the end of the current school year.

I understand that the permanent teacher whose post is being suppressed has obtained redeploy ment in another school for the 2000-01 school year. However, if the board of management of the school believes that the enrolment for September 2000 will increase substantially it may apply for a post under the "developing school" criteria. The "developing school" criteria for the 2000-01 school year are outlined in circular letter 11/2000, a copy of which was forwarded recently to the board of management of the school. The Deputy can rest assured that if the school qualifies under the "developing school" criteria, the matter will receive favourable consideration.

Top
Share