asked the Minister for Education if he will state the number of schools with classes of more than 60 on the roll in the Dublin City area; if he is aware that in some schools teachers are asked to attempt to teach classes with over 75 pupils, and whether he will state if these conditions can permit of the children of the city receiving proper education.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Large Classes in City Schools.
The number of schools in Dublin City area with classes of more than 60 pupils on the rolls on the 1st March last was 72. There were ten classes in the area on that date in which there were 75 pupils or over on the rolls.
I am fully aware that the conditions resulting from these facts are such as to militate against education of a completely satisfactory standard being imparted to the pupils involved.
Within the past 20 years the primary school population in the city area has increased from 32,000 to 78,000. It has been found impossible, particularly owing to the restriction and almost complete suspension of building during the war period, to keep the provision of new school accommodation pari passu with this abnormal growth. In addition to this all-over difficulty, slum clearances and new housing schemes have accentuated the problem in certain areas.
The Department's regulations allow of the appointment of an assistant teacher for each 45 pupils on the rolls, but owing to the incidence of numbers in respect of the various standards it it is often found that in spite of staffing strictly in accordance with the regulations, the numbers in the lower standards are high and the numbers in the higher standards relatively low. There is, accordingly, in addition to the accommodation difficulty, a serious problem of organisation.
As intimated by me when the Estimates for my Department were being discussed, I am having the matter very carefully investigated, and I can assure the Deputy that everything possible will be done to arrive at a satisfactory solution of the difficulties.