asked the Minister for Education the number of schools in Waterford city and county which will lose remedial and career guidance teachers under the changes announced by her; and the names and locations of such schools.
3.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - School Staffing Levels.
1.
andMr. Browne asked the Minister for Education the provision she intends to make for secondary schools where junior cycle classes have up to 40 pupils, where some senior cycle classes have between 30 and 40 pupils and where such schools could have employed extra teachers under the 19:1 pupil/teacher ratio in order to alleviate the problem of over-large class sizes in view of the fact that under the proposed restrictions on teacher employment such schools will not be able to employ any new staff.
I propose to take Questions 1 and 3 together.
I would refer the Deputies to my reply to written Questions Nos. 470 to 479 of yesterday dealing with the matter of the appointment of teachers in secondary, vocational, comprehensive and community schools.
I am not in a position to state what arrangements school authorities in Waterford city will make in relation to the appointment of teachers in their respective schools in 1983/84. I do not, however, accept the implication in the question that suitable arrangements will not continue to be made for guidance and remedial teaching in all such schools.
I do not think it is sufficient for the Minister to state that each school will be able to make their own individual arrangements.
A question, Deputy.
Is the Minister fully satisfied that there will be no cutback on such teachers in such schools? I do not think that will be the situation.
I have to repeat that I am fully satisfied that the school management authorities will continue to make suitable arrangements for guidance and remedial teaching in all such schools.
Is the Minister aware that the cutbacks and provision announced by her Department will leave areas where there will not be appointments of such teachers?
I am not so aware.
2.
andMr. Browne asked the Minister for Education the provision she intends to make for the education of children who may be denied entry into secondary schools as a consequence of such schools reducing their first year intake of pupils so as to avoid an increase in the present large class sizes which will occur if the proposed restriction on school staffing levels is implemented.
I do not accept that the adjustments proposed in the authorised quota of teachers in secondary schools to whom incremental salary may be paid in 1983/84 will have the effect in relation to the enrolment of pupils implied in the question from the Deputy.
Arrangements for the enrolment of pupils in second level schools are a local responsibility of the school authorities concerned.
Is the Minister aware that the arrangement for the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio will have the effect implied in the question and that there will be a cutback in the teacher allocation in such schools?
I am afraid I must simply repeat my answer. I do not accept that the adjustments will have the effect in relation to the enrolment of pupils implied in the question.