Vol. 534 No. 3
323 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans for an additional training initiative or if he intends to provide help in the task of integrating in full the Traveller community into the present second level education system having regard to the additional needs of this group within the educational system. [10799/01]
It is Government policy that Traveller children in post-primary schools participate in mainstream education in age appropriate classes and in an integrated setting. To ensure that this policy translates into practice, my Department provides extra teaching hours and pays capitation grants at an enhanced rate in respect of Traveller pupils. My Department employs a national education officer for Travellers and a visiting teacher service for Travellers. Recently I increased the number of posts in the visiting teacher service to 40 thus ensuring that a nationwide service can be provided.
Each year my Department provides inservice training for teachers in accordance with needs identified in conjunction with the national education officer and the visiting teachers. The visiting teachers provide advice and support to schools and to Traveller families and are involved in the organisation and delivery of in-service training.
My Department will shortly issue guidelines on Traveller education in post-primary schools. These will contain information, advice and guidance in relation to a range of issues, including the integration of Travellers into the life of the school, the validation of Traveller culture and the promotion of an intercultural approach.
Question No. 324 answered with Question No. 302.
325 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the serious problem created in second level Traveller education due to the part-time status of many teachers in this area; and the plans he has to eliminate this situation as most of the experienced teachers will not continue in posts where job insecurity is most common and results in lack of continuity in pupil education. [10801/01]
The teacher allocation to individual second level schools for a particular school year is determined by the enrolment of all recognised pupils at the end of September of the preceding school year.
326 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science the provision he has made in County Galway for the provision of additional staff and resources in areas of remedial education for Travellers at second level in schools where there is a welcome increase in children from this background continuing into second level education. [10802/01]
With effect from the beginning of the 1999-2000 school year, all schools in the free education scheme have an entitlement to an ex-quota allocation in respect of remedial education. The actual allocation to an individual school is determined by the enrolment. All pupils enrolled in the school concerned have access to this support.
In addition to the allocation in respect of remedial education, my Department makes an additional allocation of 1.5 hours per pupil per week in respect of each Traveller pupil enrolled in an individual school. The question of increasing this support will be considered in the context of available resources and having regard to the existing provision within individual schools.
In the current school year 15.5 additional whole-time teacher equivalents have been allocated to second level schools in County Galway to cater for the needs of Traveller pupils enrolled therein. A total of 17 whole-time teacher equivalents have been allocated to the schools in question in respect of remedial education. All Traveller pupils enrolled in second level schools in County Galway have access to the visiting teacher service.
