When the House adjourned last night, I was dealing with the question of retarded children, children slow to learn, and I pointed out that the present position in respect of the education of those children is not up to date. Teachers in national schools have not an opportunity of giving individual attention to those children because otherwise they would have to neglect or slow down the children who are advanced. I also suggested that in future a special school might be erected in each parish, and that retarded children should be taught there by a specially trained teacher. I think slow-learning children would make much more progress and that the children in the ordinary national school would also do the same. The importance of the primary school in laying the true foundation for all further education cannot be overstressed. This true education foundation is most important for post-primary education. A child who does not get a good foundation in the national school will be slow to learn in post-primary school, whether it be secondary or technical.
We know now that primary education is no longer sufficient if young people are to play a significant role in the world of today and tomorrow. Primary education is no longer sufficient if we aspire to enter the Common Market. With that in mind, and the importance of primary schools, I revert to the substandard schools. Children cannot be properly taught in a national school if it is not a proper building, if it has not proper sanitary and heating facilities and if its surroundings are not pleasant. In some of the substandard schools we have, we know the surroundings are anything but conducive to good teaching.
I would like to put on record that I support fully the INTO stand on, and their attitude towards, some of these substandard schools. I taught in one of those schools some time ago and the conditions there were a disgrace to any civilised country. There were dry closets which were cleaned only once a year and sometimes once every two years. I often saw the filth and dirt being taken in to the floor of the school. Such a position should not obtain in any civilised country. In this respect I have nothing but praise for the present Minister who has to cope with the accumulated neglect of school buildings over many years. I consider he is doing a fine job on this and I would like sincerely to wish him success in speeding up the eradication of all those substandard schools. I know he is a man of action, but the job is very big, and nobody can expect that it will be remedied overnight.
Before leaving the subject of national schools, I should like to mention equipment. The equipment in most rural national schools is substandard also. It is difficult to know just where to lay the blame. I have taught in a school where the map of the world was at least 50 years old. We know that the names of countries and also the names of towns in Europe have changed but Petrograd is still to be seen on some of those old maps of the world. It is difficult for a teacher to teach geography with such equipment. I do not know, as I say, where the blame lies. It is not the duty of the teacher to purchase this equipment. I would suggest to the Minister that through his inspectors, he should have first-hand information on each school and that where this type of map is to be found, it should be removed and replaced by a new map.
I would also like to refer to wall charts. The Department of Education should think this one out and supply suitable wall charts. There are charts supplied to the junior division but in the senior division, the only ones I have seen are those issued by the Shell Oil Company, which are very informative indeed. They are charts of birds, fish and so on.
There is another matter I should like to refer to in respect of national schools, that is, the system of inspection. I know the system was altered in the proper direction some years ago but we still have inspectors who do not appreciate that when they come into a school, their role should be that of adviser and helper rather than that of a critic. I am sorry to say—I am sure the Minister would wish to hear this— that I have had many complaints about a particular inspector who approaches the examination of children with the idea of sticking them. I have had very pleasant associations with the Department of Education, with the officials and inspectors, all my life and I have found that inspectors will never stick a child. If they see that a child is stuck, they will alter the question and bring it around so that the child will never get the impression that he is stuck. However, this particular inspector appears to take a delight in sticking a child and in turning around to the teacher— which I think is a cardinal error—and asking: "Did you not teach him this?" That type of inspection should not be allowed.
The same man is fond of giving six months' notice here and there, where there does not appear to be any need for it at all. I have heard many other complaints about him. For instance, I have heard that his Irish is such that the children do not understand it. When he asks a child a question, the child does not know what he is being asked. The teacher has to repeat the question and then the child will answer. The role of an inspector should be that of an adviser and helper rather than that of a critic. In particular, criticism should never be made of a teacher in front of the children. I suggest to the Minister that occasionally a circular might be issued to inspectors on the subject of their approach in examining children in national and other schools.
The curriculum has not changed for many years. It is much the same as it has been since the foundation of the State. Certainly it is not attractive. I suggest to the Minister that he might have the curriculum examined to see if a more attractive one can be drawn up.
I wish to compliment the Minister on the withdrawal of the primary school certificate. It served no useful purpose. Down through the years, the INTO asked for its withdrawal and this Minister for Education has had the courage to do so. He is to be complimented on putting an end to this certificate examination and on its replacement by a system of record cards. I think few educationalists will regret the passing of that certificate. It merely tended to cram the children and to neglect a broader education.
The filling of the record cards should not be taken lightly. It gives new professional responsibilities to the teachers, especially in principal teacher schools. Their integrity as a professional body is being put to the test. I hope and I expect that a truthful assessment of each child's work will be available to the parents and to the post-primary education authorities. I have little doubt that those record cards will be a success and that they will be filled in conscientiously and truthfully.
Passing on now to secondary education and post-primary education, I should like to say that when the Minister spoke about free transport for children, most people thought he was a visionary. The high degree of success of the scheme, in such a short time, is almost incredible. The Minister showed he was not a visionary but a realist. However, like all schemes of this magnitude that have been introduced—and successfully, might I say—there are bound to be teething troubles and there are teething troubles here, too. I am sure the Minister, with his foresight, will have any such problems ironed out in the near future. I have a few points here which the Minister might like to know about.
I know of one case, not in my constituency, where 14 children—depending on how many are travelling—are put into a five-cwt. van to be brought to secondary school. That is not desirable. I am sure the Minister would like to hear if such a thing has happened. It is dangerous for the children, for a start. In the event of an accident, there would be very little hope. A part from that, I do not think it is desirable from a health point of view.
Another type of case which is fairly widespread is this. There is a school bus coming from Dromore West to Sligo town. It collects the post-primary children attending Ballisodare school, which is the first school on the way. It arrives at both schools in time for school. There are children in the catchment area of Ballisodare who are attending school in Sligo. The parents offered to pay on the school bus for them but this was not accepted. Consequently, they had to travel on the ordinary bus which left them an hour late for school. This may seem a small, technical matter but it means a lot to the children. If I give the Minister the facts, I am sure he will look at them favourably.
I come then to the question of scholarships. Scholarships for university education are far too few and the amount of money is also too small. It takes in the region of £350 to £400 a year to send a child to the university. The most Sligo County Council is providing is in the region of £200. I realise that everything cannot be tackled together. The Minister said on one occasion, and I thoroughly agree with him, that he would ensure that no child with ability would be deprived of a university education because his parents were unable to pay for him. I believe the Minister means that. It is a difficult problem and how he will solve it I do not know but, in view of his achievements already in various spheres of education, I think he is quite capable of dealing with this problem.
As a Deputy, I know the Minister's Department very well. I have received the greatest co-operation from the officials and the Minister. He has done a very fine job in adverse circumstances. I conclude by saying that it will be recognised that he has done more in one year than has been done in the past 17 to 25 years.