(Mayo)asked the Minister for Education and Science if classrooms built before 1965 require less space per pupil than classrooms built post 1965; and, if so, the regulations there are in respect of this. [18922/98]
Written Answers. - School Accommodation.
145.
At primary school level, the recommended classroom size has changed over the years to reflect changing curricular demands and enrolment levels. A recommended classroom size of 600 square feet or 15 square feet per pupil was specified in The Rules for National Schools, published in 1965. The recommended classroom size was subsequently increased in the late 1970s to 70 square metres, approximately 750 square feet, to cater for changes in curriculum and enrolment patterns. As I indicated to the Deputy in reply to his Question No. 45 of 23 June 1998, this recommended size is currently under review by the Education Research Centre in the context of curriculum developments and improved pupil-teacher ratios.
At post-primary level, classroom size is dependent on the subject area for which the room is designed.