Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 July 2006
735 Mr. English asked the Minister for Education and Science the average class size for primary and post-primary schools in County Meath; the way in which this compares nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26311/06]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, major improvements have been made in primary school staffing in recent years. Next September there will no less than 4,000 extra teachers in our primary schools, compared with 2002. Not only is the average class size in our primary schools down to 24, but there is now one teacher for 17 pupils at primary level, including resource teachers etc.
Children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas are getting more support than ever before to help them to make the most of their time at school. Indeed, with the thousands of extra primary teachers hired by this Government, recent years have seen the largest expansion in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. Over the next two school years even more teachers will be put in place both for the above priority areas of disadvantage and special education and also under a reduction in the mainstream staffing schedule.
Another development that would have particularly helped schools in developing areas in Meath in the last school year was the lowering of the threshold for getting a developing school post. This was reduced specifically to help schools that are seeing large increases in enrolments each year, as is the case in many areas of rapidly increasing population in Meath. 170 such posts were sanctioned in the 2005/06 school year, compared to 105 in 2004/05.
As the Deputy knows all schools were staffed in the 2005/06 school year on the basis of a general rule of at least one classroom teacher for every 29 children. Next year this is being reduced to 28 children per classroom teacher and in 2007/2008 it will be reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher. The average class size in Meath in the 2005/06 school year was 26 pupils.
This Government has clearly demonstrated its commitment to improving staffing in our primary schools by hiring thousands of extra teachers in recent years and we will continue to make progress on this issue. The information in relation to post-primary schools is not readily available.
