Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 June 2016
31. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to change the pupil-teacher ratio for island primary schools; if he is willing to revert to the previous policy, where all offshore island primary schools on islands with only one school with more than eight pupils had two classroom teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18276/16]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2016/2017 school year is set out in Circular 0007/2016. 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 30 September 2015.
There is a reduced enrolment requirement for the retention of the second and third teaching post in island schools where the school is the only school on the island. The total number of pupils must be at 8 or above for the retention of the second teaching post. This special provision has been in place since the 2006/07 school year. Prior to that, island schools were subject to the enrolment thresholds of schools on the mainland.
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.
The Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce class sizes at primary level and to commencing a review, within three months, of teacher appointment thresholds in small schools with four teachers or less.
