asked the Minister for Education if she will give details on how schools can implement her Department's regulations in regard to class sizes for practical subjects (e.g. science, woodwork, domestic economy) in view of the change in the pupil/teacher ratio, when 78 per cent of schools with science classes already have in excess of the stipulated 24 pupils per class and 30 per cent of schools teaching physics break the Department's regulations.
Written Answers . - Class Sizes .
724.
: Arrangements for the deployment of teaching staff in the schools and for the formation of classes and their time-tabling are the responsibility of the school managers.
I do not accept the implication in the question that the implementation of the proposed staffing adjustments will result in undue difficulty in the formulation of school time-tables.
My Department will consider submissions made by particular schools in relation to transitional difficulties in the implementation of the staffing adjustments.