Vol. 500 No. 2
48 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the degree to which he proposes to improve pupil-teacher ratios in schools which have unsatisfactory ratios; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3612/99]
This Government has already reduced the pupil-teacher ratio in both primary and second level schools. While the pupil-teacher ratio serves a useful function in indicating the relationship at national level between pupil numbers and teacher numbers, it does not accurately reflect the position in many classrooms. While I accept some schools have a pupil-teacher ratio higher than the national average, equally there are schools with a ratio below the national average.
The pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools now stands at 21.2 to one. The pupil-teacher ratio at second level has improved due to the allocation of additional ex-quota and concessionary posts and the application of a reduced ratio in respect of a range of new programmes which have been introduced in second level schools. The Deputy will also be aware of my recent significant initiative which introduced a retention ratio of 18:1 in relation to schools with over quota full-time teachers who might otherwise be redeployed. This, coupled with the provision of a remedial entitlement to all second level and the extension of the home school liaison scheme, will have a considerable and sustained impact on the pupil-teacher ratio at second level.
