Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 September 2004
570 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science if support will be given to the Institute of Guidance Counsellors in its demands concerning the ratio of guidance counsellors to pupils in the post-primary sector that it revert to that of an ex-quota counsellor to 250 pupils instead of one to 500 pupils; and if the institute will be given his maximum support. [22531/04]
View answerUnder current arrangements, my Department makes a specific ex-quota allocation of teaching posts in respect of guidance to schools in the second level system. In the case of schools in the free education scheme, the level of allocation ranges from eight hours per week in the case of schools with enrolments below 200 pupils to 44 hours per week — two whole-time posts — in the case of schools with an enrolment of 1,000 pupils or more.
In addition to allocations based on enrolments, 50 whole-time equivalent guidance counselling posts were allocated in the 2001-02 school year under the guidance enhancement initiative. The focus of this initiative was to enhance the provision of guidance to young people at risk, to improve links between schools and the world of work and to improve the take-up of science subjects.
In allocating resources for guidance and counselling under this initiative, my Department set out criteria which target the resource at those most in need rather than allocating resources on the basis of student to guidance counsellor ratios. The preliminary findings of the review of guidance and counselling carried out by the ESRI confirm that this method of targeting resources for guidance is the best way to reach those students who are disadvantaged.
I have recently announced an extension of the guidance enhancement initiative for a further two years and I have also created an additional 30 guidance posts under this initiative from the commencement of the current school year. This decision reflects the importance which I attach to the area of guidance.
