Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 23 Jun 1993

Vol. 432 No. 7

Written Answers. - Galway School Funding.

Pádraic McCormack

Question:

122 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education the reason her Department is discontinuing funding, staff arrangements and capitation grants for seventh class in primary schools in Galway city as there has been a tradition of seventh class for 150 years in Galway; if this is to be discontinued in the academic year 1994-1995; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

The staffing of a national school for a particular year is determined by the valid enrolment in a school on the preceding 30 September. Only in exceptional circumstances can pupils who are repeating sixth standard be counted as validly enrolled for staffing and other purposes.

The primary school curiculum is designed as an eight year programme with provision for an infant programme of approximately two years followed by six years in standards 1 to 6. The syllabus for each component of the curriculum is designed to give the greatest possible degree of flexibility in selecting programmes best suited to the needs of individual pupils and schools.

The retention of pupils who have completed the 6th standard and are at an age to transfer to second level education is not acceptable to my Department.

The Deputy may have in mind the case of St. Patrick's national school, Galway. A special concession was granted to this school in 1990 which gave them until June 1994 to phase out the practice of repeat 6th classes. This concession will discontinue from the end of the 1993/94 school year at which stage the retention of pupils in 6th class will no longer be recognised by my Department for the reasons outlined above.