Martin Cullen
Question:69 Mr. Cullen asked the Minister for Education the number of home/school liaison teachers she intends to appoint every year for each of the next five years.
Written Answers. - Home-School Liaison Teachers.
The number of home/school liaison teachers which will be appointed in each of the next five years will be determined by the number of teaching posts available for distribution over that period.
At present there are 106 primary and 38 post-primary schools in the home/school liaison scheme and these embrace a total of approximately 55,000 pupils. This includes 27 primary schools and 12 post-primary schools newly included in the scheme at the commencement of the current school year. This extension was made possible by the appointment of an additional 27 coordinators to the scheme in 1993. The scheme now has a total of 98 locally based co-ordinators working under the direction of a national co-ordinator.
Each co-ordinator is responsible for a particular area and acts in support of local schools in establishing contact with parents, encouraging parents to become involved in their childrens' education, organising locally based activities which contribute to close contact between parents and teachers and establishing links with pre-school and other voluntary and statutory groups in the area.
A representative National Steering Committee advises on the overall direction and focus of the scheme.
When originally established in 1990, the home/school liaison scheme was introduced as a three-year pilot project. However, I am satisfied that the scheme has since proved its value in enhancing educational participation by disadvantaged young people. It was for this reason that I recently announced my decision to place the scheme on a formal footing within the education system.
I can assure the Deputy of my commitment to further developing the home/school liaison scheme in the coming years in line with the Government's commitment in this area.