Bernard Allen
Question:370 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education and Science the number and type of teachers in the North Monastery A primary school, County Cork on 30 June 1996, 30 June 1997 and 1 October 1997. [17811/97]
Written Answers. - School Staffing.
The staffing levels at North Monastery A primary school on the dates in question are as follows: on 30 June 1996 there was a principal, six assistant teachers, a shared disadvantaged area concessionary teacher and a remedial teacher; on 30 June 1997 the teaching staff consisted of a principal, five assistant teachers, a shared disadvantaged concessionary teacher and a remedial teacher. These numbers remained unchanged on 1 October 1997. This is in line with staffing schedules agreed by my predecessor for the 1997-8 school year.
Olivia Mitchell
Question:371 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will give details of the pilot programme for national schools on substance misuse prevention; and if he will give details of those schools which will participate in the programme. [17812/97]
The programme on substance misuse education for national schools includes the development of educational resource materials, awareness raising and information dissemination for both parents and teachers and associated inservice training. A steering committee, representative of the partners in education, the Garda, the Departments of Education and Science, Health and Children, and Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has been established to oversee the initiative.
Educational resource materials were pilottested in a group of 26 primary schools, in urban and rural areas, during the school year 1995-6. The pilot-testing was accompanied by a special inservice training programme for the teaching staffs concerned. The dissemination of materials and the associated inservice training are now being extended to the schools in the 13 priority areas identified in the first report of the ministerial task force on measures to reduce the demand for drugs.
A national project officer for the programme has been appointed and the materials and associated inservice training will be available to primary schools generally during the 1998-9 school year.