Denis Naughten
Question:3 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to develop a package of support for teaching principals. [ 15534/99]
Ceisteanna–Questions. Priority Questions. - School Staffing.
I am very much aware of the central role principals play in our school system. I am also aware that the provision of effective supports for teaching principals is a complex issue. The role of each principal in different schools will vary depending on a wide range of factors, for example, the size of their school. Principals in the more than 800 schools which have only one or two teachers obviously face very different issues from those in larger schools. It was because of the need to examine the full range of issues that I established last year a working group to examine the rights, roles, duties and responsibilities of principals, both administrative and teaching, in primary schools. The review group which was chaired by Teri Garvey was representative of the partners in education and current and former principals comprised a majority of its membership.
As the Deputy may be aware, teaching principals already have a range of supports to assist them in carrying out their functions in schools. These include the middle management structure in schools in accordance with which principals may delegate some functions to other teachers in the school. These structures were designed to compensate for the increasing levels of administration and management that arise as schools increase in size. Approximately three quarters of all primary schools have middle management structures. Principals in many schools also have access to secretarial and caretaking services funded by my Department. As the Deputy may be aware, I recently announced a major investment of £2.7 million to provide for a substantial improvement to the secretarial-caretaking scheme in primary schools. In addition various initiatives implemented by the Government have ensured the fundraising burden placed on principals has been significantly reduced and important training supports have been put in place.
I remain committed to ensuring principals in all our primary schools are effectively supported in their roles and will consider in great detail the report of the working group.
When will the Minister publish the report of the review group which has been lying on his desk since May? Is he prepared to implement its recommendations?
The report has not been lying on my desk since May. The chairperson only signed off on the report in the first week of September. We will formally launch the report with the partners and the members of the review group next week. During the summer the INTO organised a conference at which it disseminated some of the content and recommendations of the report. We have already acted on one of its key recommendations.
I hope the Minister will also act on its other recommendations. On the £5 million allocated for secretarial and caretaking assistance in schools, is it the case that this is confined to schools with more than 100 pupils? What additional resources will be provided, for example, for schools in County Roscommon where the average number of pupils per school is 68.4?
The position on secretaries and caretakers has been an issue since the PESP. Successive Governments did not bother implementing it and no one on any side shouted too loudly about it. We have now decided to implement the PESP recommendation which relates to all schools with more than 100 pupils. It was indicated to me during the year that if the additional resources could be secured to do even that much it would be seen as a very positive signal by the INTO and teaching principals that the issue was being seriously considered. We have managed to secure the additional funding required to facilitate the provision of such supports this year. The report identifies other areas also, including administrative support in schools with fewer than 100 pupils, and suggests a phased introductory period for delivery of its various recommendations which we are entitled to consider and, as with all other issues pertaining to primary education, prioritise.
There is an industrial dispute involving teaching principals. Will the Minister reduce the threshold of nine teachers to facilitate the appointment of a non-teaching principal in primary schools? That is the nub of the issue. There must be nine teachers in a school before it is entitled to an administrative principal.
I will not cherrypick the report prior to its publication. We have prioritised primary education since taking office. When I met the INTO before and after the general election it had a clear list of priorities also which involved class size reduction, the core issue of funding which has been increased by over one third, significant improvements in capital spending which has been increased significantly and so forth. We have also provided funding for library books and information technology. We have now moved on secretarial and caretaking assistance which is a key issue. I regret that a strike has been called. It is not necessary. The report has yet to be formally published. It was clear to all concerned that there would not be movement before the autumn, yet people felt obliged to go on strike. That was not necessary or justified.
May I ask the Minister a brief question?
There is not any time, we must move on.
With all the additional resources that are provided, can the Minister explain why 37 per cent of primary schools in County Roscommon do not have hot water?
If that is the case, the Deputy should be working more diligently.
The Minister has the report.
That is in the "in" tray, as well.