asked the Minister for Education whether, with a view to facilitating educational reorganisation, he will eliminate the title vocational and call all post-primary schools secondary and modify departmental school staffing regulations to facilitate the provision of satisfactory courses and class sizes in all schools; and if he will state his policy in the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Educational Reorganisation.
26.
The present titles to a certain degree give expression to the character of the two main kinds of post-primary school now in existence. With the greater stress on wider curricula and the giving of effect to policies in that regard the separate titles have ceased to lose a great deal of their effect.
As, however, there are common intermediate and leaving certificate courses for all post-primary schools and as there is nothing in the Department's regulations which affects the class size in one school as against another, I do not see how a change in the title of schools would alter the situation.
Would the Minister not agree that his last sentence might equally have read: "In view of all these things I do not see any reason for keeping a distinction in the names between the two systems"?
I have much more important matters to concern me than the consideration of the title of schools.
Would the Minister not agree that this gives rise to problems such as that of secondary schools not being able to get payment from the Department in respect of woodwork or metalwork and would it not be desirable to integrate the systems so as to overcome problems of this nature?
I am wondering why it is suggested that we should change the name to secondary schools?
Because they are secondary schools.
Why not call all of them post-primary schools?