Deirdre Clune
Question:99 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Education and Science the educational provision he is planning for newly arrived refugees. [12821/99]
Written Answers. - Educational Services for Refugees.
Educational provision for newly arrived refugees is related to age, knowledge of English and other areas of need. Education may be provided for children and young people in the nearest convenient school.
Earlier this year 14 additional teachers were sanctioned for primary schools to assist them in responding to the additional tuition needs of refugee students in the area of language particularly. At post primary level additional teaching hours may be sanctioned for individual schools or VEC schemes where such are required to meet the additional tuition needs of refugees attending the schools. My Department also meets the costs of English language support for adults.
Recently a refugee language support unit has been established in Trinity College with funding support from my Department. This unit will co-operate with the refugee agency, with my Department and with refugee groups themselves in identifying the language support needs of refugees and in developing effective and targeted ways of meeting these needs. Other provision includes intensive summer English language courses for young refugee students who may need such provision in order to help them benefit from the educational opportunities available.
In order to begin the process of identifying the educational needs of the Kosovar refugees arriving at present local inspectors of my Department are being nominated to liaise with each centre where accommodation is being provided. The refugee language support unit will, in liaison with the inspectors, identify the language status and needs of the Kosovar people as they settle in each centre. It is anticipated that some initial language tuition will be required to assist them to avail subsequently of the educational provision made in schools and other centres.