asked the Minister for Education whether he will state, for the school years 1925-26, 1926-27, 1927-28, what was the amount of the grants for Continuation Classes (night schools), how many such centres there were, what was the total annual attendance, and what subjects were taught.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Grants for Continuation Classes.
The number of centres at which evening schools were held and the grants paid, for each of the years referred to, were as follows:
1925-26, 34 centres, £8,883 15s. 10d. grants.
1926-27, 37 centres, £8,780 12s. grants.
1927-28, 36 centres, £7,925 7s. 6d. grants.
The subjects of instruction included Shorthand, Typewriting, English, Arithmetic, Needlework, Irish, Bookkeeping, Geography, Cookery, History, Drill and Physical Culture, Mathematics, Hygiene, Singing, Health and Habits, Laundry, Drawing and Woodwork.
As the session of these evening schools is not an annual one, but varies in duration from six months to six weeks, it is not possible to state the total annual attendance thereat. That is, the annual attendance.
asked the Minister for Education whether he will state why the grants to continuation schools in the City of Dublin have been withdrawn; whether provision has been made, or will be made, for these pupils in these schools whose standard of primary education is low and who are anxious to improve it in order to better qualify for employment, and for others who are already in employment but are anxious to improve their education in order to qualify for employment of a more remunerative nature; further, if he will state the number of teachers who will be thrown out of employment by the withdrawal of these grants, and whether he can hold out any hope of employment for such of these as are fully qualified.
I assume the Deputy's question refers to the decision to discontinue the payments which have hitherto been made under sub-head C. 7 of the Vote for Primary Education to the conductors of evening schools in large urban centres. Only a comparatively small proportion of these schools could be properly described as continuation schools or be regarded as serving the purpose indicated in the question.
Much of the time of the best attended of these schools was devoted not to general education, but to specialised instruction in such subjects as shorthand, book-keeping, typewriting, etc., and upwards of two-thirds of the expenditure was incurred in connection with these semi-commercial schools. Having considered the purposes served by these evening schools, the standard of efficiency reached, and the provision elsewhere of educational facilities of a similar character, I felt that in existing circumstances the continued expenditure involved could not be justified. Among the other facilities available for the normal student affected, I may mention the introductory and special courses at Technical Schools, and the tuition available at proprietary schools and colleges for students preparing for public examinations and business appointments.
I hope to be in a position to introduce in the Dáil during the coming summer a Bill based on the recommendations of the Commission on Technical Education, as a result of which it will be possible to establish a proper system of continuation education such as the Deputy appears to contemplate.
My Department has no information as to how many of the teachers employed at these evening schools are solely dependent on this employment. The total number of teachers employed during the current year is 95; sixteen of these are also engaged as recognised teachers in National Schools. I have no definite information as to the qualifications of the remaining teachers for other educational work. Those of them, however, who possess the recognised teaching qualifications should have little difficulty in procuring suitable employment; but as teachers are appointed by the managers in the case of primary and secondary schools, and by the local committees in the case of technical schools, I am not in a position to give any promise or undertaking to find employment for these or any other teachers.