Vol. 529 No. 3
160 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the proposals he has to improve pupil-teacher ratios with a view to addressing the areas that have greatest need in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2873/01]
The Government, since taking up office, has introduced a range of initiatives to help reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools. The pupil-teacher ratio has been reduced from 22.2 to 1 in the 1996-97 school year to 20.4 to 1 in the 1999-2000 school year.
The retention of posts arising from the demographic dividend in the current year together with the creation of an additional 204 posts to tackle educational disadvantage and the allocation of additional resource posts has helped to reduce the overall pupil teacher ratio in the 2000-2001 school year to 19.6:1.
An additional 1,000 teaching posts were created at second level in the 2000-01 school year. A proportion of these posts were provided to facilitate the reduction from 19:1 to 18:1 in the pupil teacher ratio for appointment purposes.
The actual pupil-teacher ratio at second level has been reduced significantly in recent years. The creation of the additional posts, combined with an anticipated fall in enrolments, will result in a further reduction in the actual pupil-teacher ratio in the sector.
