Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 May 2016
308. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna an bhfuil sé i gceist aige athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an gcóimheas daltaí le múinteoir do scoláirí i mbunscoileanna beaga oileánda; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [10236/16]
View answerFoilsítear na critéir a úsáidtear chun múinteoirí a leithdháileadh ar scoileanna ar shuíomh idirlín na Roinne Oideachais agus Scileanna gach bliain. Is é an príomhchritéar lena gcinntear an leibhéal acmhainní foirnithe a sholáthraítear ag leibhéal na scoile aonair ná an sceideal foirnithe don scoilbhliain chuí agus an líon daltaí ar an rolla ar an 30 Meán Fómhair roimhe sin.
Laistigh de na socruithe seo tá soláthar speisialta ann do scoileanna oileánda lena gcuirtear sa chuntas na ceisteanna a thagann chun cinn maidir le hoideachas a sholáthar i suíomh oileánda. Leis an soláthar speisialta seo, féadtar post a choinneáil, faoi réir ag líon áirithe daltaí a bheith sa scoil i gcónaí, i gcás ina mbeadh an laghdú ar líon na ndaltaí i scoil oileánda ina chúis leis an dara nó an tríú post múinteora rangsheomra sa scoil a chailliúint i scoileanna eile i gcoitinne.
Maidir leis an dara post príomhshrutha ní mór líon iomlán d'ochtar daltaí nó os a chionn sin a bheith sa scoil agus an scoil sin a bheith ar an aon bhunscoil amháin atá fágtha ar an oileán. Maidir leis an tríú post príomhshrutha, is é an tairseach ná 45 dalta nó os a chionn sin ar an rolla sa scoil agus caithfidh an scoil sin a bheith ar an aon bhunscoil amháin atá fágtha ar an oileán. Cuirtear feabhas ar na leibhéil foirnithe sna scoileanna beaga leis na socruithe foirne don scoilbhliain reatha. Tugadh tairseacha feabhsaithe ceapacháin agus coinneála isteach don scoilbhliain 2015/16 do scoileanna aon oide atá scartha amach ó scoileanna eile. Áit a mbíodh líon de 20 dalta ar an rolla ag teastáil ó scoil aon oide a bhí scartha amach ó scoileanna eile chun go gceapfaí an dara oide, anois tá sé seo laghdaithe go 15 dhalta.
The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
Within these arrangements there is special provision for island schools that take account of the circumstances that arise in relation to providing education in an island setting. This special provision means that unlike the generality of schools, in the event that a reduction in the pupil numbers of an island school will result in the loss of the second or third classroom teaching post in the school, the post may be retained subject to certain pupil retention levels.
In the case of the second mainstream post the total number of pupils must be at 8 or above and the school must be the only primary school remaining on the island. In the case of the third mainstream post, the enrolment threshold is 45 for the only primary school on the island.
The staffing arrangements for the current school year provide an improvement to the staffing levels of small schools. Improved appointment and retention thresholds for isolated one teacher schools were introduced for the 2015/16 school year. Where previously an isolated one teacher school would have required an enrolment of 20 pupils in order to appoint a second teacher, this has now been reduced to 15 pupils.
