Dinny McGinley
Question:486 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has to fund tuition in instrumental music applications throughout the country. [13952/01]
Written Answers - School Staffing.
Dinny McGinley
Question:487 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of instrumental teachers for music; and if he has any plans to provide and support the provision of such teachers, particularly in rural parts of the country. [13953/01]
I propose to answer Questions Nos. 486 and 487 together.
At primary level, the revised music curriculum includes teaching and learning objectives for all pupils in the area of instrumental music experience, ranging from listening and exploration activity at junior levels to the acquisition of basic playing skills on simple instruments such as the recorder or tin whistle. Teacher guidelines, accompanying the curriculum, include advice to schools and teachers on the implementation of the programme in this area.
In January this year, I provided grant-aid of £6.1 million – equivalent to £13 per pupil, with a minimum grant of £780 for small schools to all primary schools to fund activity in arts education, including music. Guidelines on the effective use of this grant-aid will issue shortly from my Department to all primary schools. My Department allocates teaching resources to a number of vocational education committees to cater for practical music lessons. A review of the current provision for music within these VEC schemes is currently being carried out and will be completed as soon as possible. The need for any further development and/or supports in this area will be considered having regard to the outcome of the review of the current provision under the VEC schemes.
Róisín Shortall
Question:488 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will confirm that the recently announced teacher allocations under the new programme are to be reviewed annually depending on pupil numbers; if other factors are to be taken into account when conducting such reviews; if not, the reason therefor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13989/01]
The Deputy is referring to the new programme, Giving Children an Even Break, to tackle educational disadvantage which was launched by me in January of this year. The new programme has both an urban and rural dimension. Under the urban dimension, I am committed to supporting selected schools with the highest concentrations of disadvantaged pupils in the maintenance of maximum class sizes of 20:1 in junior classes – infants through second class – and 29:1 in senior classes – third through sixth class – over the three-year period. Based on the level of concentration of at risk pupils in a school as identified in the independent survey conducted by the Educational Research Centre last year, schools were considered for additional teaching staff under the urban dimension of the programme.
In line with normal staffing arrangements for national schools, teacher post allocations under the urban dimension of the new programme are also determined by reference to enrolments in junior and senior classes at 30 September in the previous school year. Therefore, the allocation of these additional teacher posts depends on enrolment levels in junior and senior classes in the selected schools. Notwithstanding changes in enrolments at September 2000, in view of the special nature of the scheme I have authorised the retention of existing levels of staffing up until the 2002-03 school year. The position will be reviewed in the light of enrolments at 30 September 2001.
Róisín Shortall
Question:489 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason the allocation of a teacher to a school (details supplied) in County Cork under the new programme is to be rescinded; the criteria applied to the school in the first instance in allocating the teacher; the number of other schools which have had a teacher allocation rescinded in this fashion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13990/01]
The staffing of a primary school for a particular year is determined by reference to the number of pupils enrolled in the school on 30 September of the previous year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule that is formulated for a particular year following discussions with the managerial authorities and the INTO. The current staffing of this particular school is a principal and four mainstream class teachers based on an enrolment of 134 pupils at 30 September 1999. On the basis of an enrolment of 133 pupils at 30 September 2000 these posts will be retained for the 2001-02 school year.
The Deputy refers to the new programme, Giving Children an Even Break, to tackle educational disadvantage, which was launched by me in January of this year. The new programme has both an urban and rural dimension and the school in question is included in the urban dimension. Under the urban dimension of the new programme, I am committed to supporting schools with the highest concentrations of disadvantaged pupils in the maintenance of maximum class sizes of 20:1 in junior classes – infants through second class – and a maximum of 29:1 in senior classes – third through sixth class – over the three year period.
In line with normal staffing arrangements for national schools, teacher post allocations for the purpose of the new programme, in respect of the current school year, were determined by reference to enrolments in junior and senior classes at 30 September, 1999. To enable the school in question to adhere to the maximum class size guidelines for all junior and senior classes under the new programme, the school was allocated one additional teaching post in the current school year. The school is also eligible to receive supplementary grant aid of £3,551 towards the provision of suitable educational supports for the pupils concerned in respect of the current school year.
Notwithstanding changes in junior and senior classes and in view of the special nature of the scheme, I have authorised the continued allocation of the additional teaching post under the new programme for the 2001-02 school year. The same approach will be taken to other schools in the same situation. The staffing allocation for the 2002-03 school year will be considered in the normal way in the context of the enrolment situation at 30 September 2001.