Written Answers Nos. 111-125
111. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education the progress that has been made with increasing the annual funding levels available to primary education; the progress made with the regularisation of employment conditions for school secretaries and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45641/21]
View answerMy Department provides funding to Primary and Post-Primary schools by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the Ancillary/School Services Support Fund (SSSF) to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools also receive a range of other grants including Book Grants, Programme grants etc.
I understand the need for improved capitation funding and I was pleased that budget 2020 was able to provide for a further 2.5% increase in standard capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools that applied from the start of the 2020/21 school year.
This builds on the 5% increase in capitation announced in budget 2019 and the combined increases given in 2019 and 2020 mean that circa 40% restoration has been achieved.
All schools have received the benefit of the capitation increases awarded to date. It is my intention to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets. However I must be prudent in the context of ongoing budgetary pressures giving the current economic circumstances.
With regard to school secretaries and caretakers, I know from my own experience that they are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.
The Department previously fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of an independent arbitrator for a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period.
Fórsa trade union has tabled a follow-on claim and officials from the Department and school management bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on the issues. On the 27th of October 2020, under the auspices of the WRC, an understanding was agreed on a pathway to progress the issues. Several key strands have been identified, and a phased approach is being taken to the development of proposals.
Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13th September, there has been significant progress in this dispute. Subject to agreement on all elements of the claim, the Department has offered to move School Secretaries’ pay rates to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale within education and training boards on a pro rata basis with an effective date of implementation for these new pay arrangements of 1st September 2021. Pay rates will be pro rata according to a secretary’s current working pattern. The assimilation of School Secretaries to the CO Grade III pay scale will require further dialogue between the parties and an intensive engagement will take place of over the next two/three weeks to allow this to be finalised.
My Department has also offered to improve the conditions for School Secretaries with regard to sick leave, annual leave and maternity provisions for this cohort of staff. This will take place via direct engagement with the unions in the coming weeks in addition to engagement on other elements of the claim and subject to all elements being agreed.
While there is agreement in principle to take the same approach to the consideration of appropriate pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers there remains a deficit of data on working terms and conditions of such staff. When the final package for secretaries has been agreed and an implementation plan in place for schools and DE, that intensive engagement will begin on regularising the pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers.
I welcome the deferral of the action scheduled for Wednesday 15th September to allow for intensive talks to resume aimed at resolving the claim and agreeing a final package and I look forward to further progress being advanced.
112. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if she plans to alter or reform the leaving certificate examination through alternative assessments after the experiences of the State examinations over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic and the work carried out by the NCCA for the reform of State examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45719/21]
View answerI am conscious that students who are due to take their Leaving Certificate examinations in 2022 have experienced a degree of disruption to their learning.
My Department co-chairs an Advisory Group on Planning for State Examinations in conjunction with the State Examinations Commission. The group was originally established to consider contingency arrangements for the 2020 Leaving Certificate and was reconstituted for the purposes of planning for the 2021 Leaving Certificate. The group includes representatives of students, parents, teachers, school leadership and management bodies, the State Examinations Commission (SEC), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Department of Education, including the National Educational Psychological Service.
In meetings held in April and May of this year, this group discussed the Leaving Certificate 2022 examinations.
On 30 June, the Advisory Group on Planning for State Examinations received an update in relation to the 2022 Leaving Certificate and Junior Cycle examinations.
Following this meeting, I announced that adjustments would be made to the 2022 examinations which are similar to those published in December 2020 in respect of Leaving Certificate 2021.
The adjustments are outlined in the document ’Assessment Arrangements for Junior and Leaving Certificate 2022’, which is available on www.gov.ie/leavingcertificate.
These adjustments will leave intact the familiar overall structure of the examinations, while incorporating additional choice for students in the examinations.
The adjustments provide greater choice for candidates across a wide range of subjects.
A summary advice note setting out the key curriculum and assessment arrangements for the Leaving Certificate Applied programme for Year 1 and Year 2 students in the 2021/22 school year has also been published and is also available on www.gov.ie/leavingcertificate.
The system of Calculated Grades which operated for Leaving Certificate 2020 was intended to be a once-off event in 2020 given the sudden and very challenging position at that time and the impossibility of running examinations in their traditional form safely.
A decision was made by Government in February 2021 to offer a system of Accredited Grades to this year’s Leaving Certificate students. The rationale for this was that, given the levels of disruption to learning experienced by current Leaving Certificate students during two significant and prolonged periods during their Senior Cycle education, it would have been unfair and unjust to require such students to sit traditional Leaving Certificate Examinations without offering an alternative or parallel process.
While schools were closed as a result of Covid-19 from January 2021, a programme of remote learning was provided to all students. Students who were in fifth year were also prioritised for a return to school following the return of sixth year students.
It is hoped that incoming sixth year students will be able to complete a full year of in-school tuition when they return to school at the start of the 2021/22 school year, and will experience no further disruption to their learning as a result of Covid-19
It was also announced, on 30 June that the State Examinations Commission (SEC) will run an alternative set of Leaving Certificate Examinations in 2022, shortly following the main set of examinations. The SEC will set out the eligibility conditions for these examinations, which will be limited to certain students who are unable to sit the main set of examinations due to close family bereavement, COVID-19 illness during those examinations, and certain other categories of serious illness, to be clearly and strictly delineated. The SEC will issue further details regarding these examinations, with all arrangements developed in consultation with public health specialists. There will also be further engagement with stakeholders in this matter.
While the above adjustments relate to the 2022 State examinations, the Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has undertaken an extensive review of senior cycle programmes and vocational pathways, including Transition Year, the Leaving Certificate Applied, Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and the Leaving Certificate Established.
The review involved a very extensive range of research, consultations and communications with a wide range of stakeholders on all aspects of review and redevelopment over a number of phases over the period of the review. The NCCA also commissioned external expertise to support the process, including the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
The NCCA’s Senior Cycle Review: Advisory Report was submitted to my Department on 27 May for consideration and will be published shortly.
113. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education if she has plans to increase the capacity of the school transport service in view of changing public health advice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45179/21]
View answer160. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education if she will increase the capacity of the school transport service in view of changing public health advice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45178/21]
View answer174. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education when it is proposed to increase school bus capacity in view of the difficulties that have occurred for many families in having school transport provided for their children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45433/21]
View answer259. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education the status of plans to increase the capacity of school transport in view of the fact an increase would accommodate many more students who are currently awaiting tickets on routes. [45782/21]
View answer260. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education if she will review the 50% occupancy rule for school transport in rural Ireland to allow children who previuosly had concessionary bus tickets to travel on the school bus in view of the fact that this is causing undue hardship for parents who have had to source alternative means of transport at short notice to get them to school and given the latest information from NPHET that the country is on track for lifting of most restrictions from 22 October 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45790/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 113, 160, 174, 259 and 260 together.
The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time for the 2021/22 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. In addition all post-primary pupils who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and who have applied and paid on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. This arrangement is in place for current school year pending completion of the full review of the School Transport Scheme.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and are offered seats where capacity exists after all eligible children have been catered for. Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2021/2022 school year.
Planning for school transport for the 2021/22 school year has proceeded on the basis that the public health measures in place as schools closed at the end of the last school year would remain as term began in this new school year. This includes the recommendations from Public Health that post-primary services would operate at 50% capacity and that masks would be worn. All other measures relating to hygiene, pre-assigned seating, cleaning and the wearing of masks by post-primary students are also in place. However, as the vaccination programme for children on post-primary services is rolled out and as the lifting of restrictions on public transport services proceeds, the capacity limit of 50% on post-primary school transport services will be subject to ongoing review and the Department will be considering the position in this regard over the coming weeks.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that to date 104,324 pupils, including 54,728 post primary eligible pupils and 14,735 post primary concessionary pupils have been issued tickets for the School Transport Scheme. This number is changing as tickets continue to be allocated to pupils.
Should post-primary services resume operating at 100% capacity and where additional vehicles that were provided for social distancing purposes are removed, any spare capacity available will be offered on those services to concessionary pupils or late applicants where such capacity exists.
114. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the instructions she has given to schools on the way they must respond to Covid-19 cases including on isolation of close contacts of symptomatic and asymptomatic cases. [45680/21]
View answerCovid-19 Response Plans have issued directly to schools for the new school year. These plans are based on the Government’s Work Safely Protocol which reflects the most up to date public health advice for the workplace. They set out the range of measures required to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and provide clear and helpful guidance for the safe operation of school through prevention, early detection and control of Covid-19. These plans are living documents and will be updated as public health guidance is updated. The infection prevention and control measures in place in schools have worked very effectively to prevent and control Covid-19 in schools and remain in place for this school year.
In line with recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team, from 27th September, which was accepted by the Minister for Health, automatic contact tracing of asymptomatic close contacts in children aged over 3 months and less than 13 years, in schools will no longer take place. Children who are deemed to be close contacts outside of a household setting will not be routinely required to restrict their movements and be tested.
Any pupil/student who has symptoms which could be consistent with Covid-19 should not attend school. This will help to keep covid-19 out of schools in the first place.
The Department will continue to work with the HSE public health to support schools dealing with Covid-19.
115. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education if she has engaged with Bus Éireann regarding bus ticket shortages in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Louth; if she will detail the types of engagement she has had with Bus Éireann; and the dates in which this engagement took place. [45191/21]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2020/21 year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time for the 2021/22 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. In addition, all post-primary pupils who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and have applied and paid on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. This arrangement is in place for current school year pending completion of the full review of the School Transport Scheme.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and are offered seats where capacity exists after all eligible children have been catered for.
Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2021/2022 school year.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that to date 102,420 pupils, including 54,018 post primary eligible pupils and 14,143 post primary concessionary pupils have been issued tickets for the School Transport Scheme. This number is changing as tickets continue to be allocated to pupils.
Should post-primary services resume operating at 100% capacity and where additional vehicles that were provided for social distancing purposes are removed, any spare capacity available will be offered on those services to concessionary pupils or late applicants where such capacity exists.
Officials of the School Transport Section have engaged intensively with Bus Éireann in regard to the operation of school transport services for the current school year. If the Deputy has specific queries in regard to the areas referred to officials in School Transport Section would be happy to assist.
116. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will discuss the difficulties new and developing schools are facing in accessing special educational supports. [45694/21]
View answerI am aware of concerns raised by a number of schools with growing enrolments regarding their special education teacher allocation.
There are now over 13,600 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream primary and post primary schools.
This represents an increase of 40% in the total number of special education teachers allocated to schools since 2011, at which time 9,740 teachers were allocated.
The allocations are based on the profiled needs of schools, and are designed to be updated, based on new school profile data, every 2-3 years.
In order to minimise disruption and upheaval for schools as much as possible in light of Covid-19, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the existing Special Education Teacher Allocations for schools is being maintained for the 2021/22 school year, with re-profiled allocations now due to be made from September 2022.
The allocations for 2021/22 which are being maintained comprise the allocations made for schools from September 2019 plus any additionality achieved since and any developing hours for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school years.
This means that schools did not have to engage in an extensive redeployment of posts, or re-clustering, this year.
It also means that schools had greater levels of certainty as to the staff that were in place for September.
It is important to note that no school saw a cut, or reduction, to their special education teaching support for 2021/22.
Additional allocations continue to be made for new schools, schools which achieve developing status, and for exceptional circumstances. Schools that qualify for additional mainstream developing school posts also qualify for additional special education teaching allocations to take account of this developing status.
For the 2021/22 school year, in order to support schools to plan for their staffing arrangements in September, the DES/NCSE brought forward the developing schools allocation process, by initially making provisional allocations for schools
The provisional additional allocations were based on schools projected enrolments, where schools have projected that they will receive developing allocations, based on the criteria below. The allocation of these additional hours will be confirmed once the increased enrolments are confirmed.
The criteria for qualification for mainstream school developing school posts are set out in the DES Circular Primary and Post Primary School Staffing Schedules each year.
Schools who qualify for additional mainstream developing school posts in accordance with these criteria, also qualify for additional Special Education Teaching Allocations to take account of this developing status, as follows:
- an additional 3 hours of SEN teaching support will be provided for schools which have one developing post, or for a schools first developing post where they have more than one developing post
- and 5 hours per each post thereafter, for each school which has two or more developing posts
If a school considers that exceptional circumstances have arisen in their school, which means that they cannot provide for the special educational teaching needs of pupils due to very significant changes to the school profile occurring, a school may seek a review of their allocations by the NCSE.
My Department continues to engage with Education partners to consider concerns in relation to the existing process for providing additional supports to developing schools and to establish if any improvements can be made to the process.
117. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education her views on the progress of the recruitment of additional special needs assistants outlined in Budget 2021; the number of special needs assistants currently employed by county; the way this compares with annual figures for the previous ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45503/21]
View answerThe provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for Government. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants are at unprecedented levels.
The Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021.
This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.
Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional SNAs for allocation to schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by December 2021.
This allocation of SNAs is to meet the care needs of pupils in 2021 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support children in mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year.
This will represent an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for the planning and coordination of education provision for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNA posts.
Where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website ncse.ie/for-schools
The NCSE publish statistics on SNA allocations to primary, post primary and special schools in tabular form, by county, for each school year, this information is available on their website, www.ncse.ie.
Special Needs Assistants are employed by schools. Information on appointments made is not collected from schools.
The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your question has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply.
118. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the progress made with regard to ensuring public service status for school secretaries and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45658/21]
View answerSchool secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.
The Department previously fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of an independent arbitrator for a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period.
Fórsa trade union has tabled a follow-on claim and officials from the Department and school management bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on the issues. On the 27th of October 2020, under the auspices of the WRC, an understanding was agreed on a pathway to progress the issues. Several key strands have been identified, and a phased approach is being taken to the development of proposals.
Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13th September, there has been significant progress in this dispute. Subject to agreement on all elements of the claim, the Department has offered to move School Secretaries’ pay rates to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale within education and training boards on a pro rata basis with an effective date of implementation for these new pay arrangements of 1st September 2021. Pay rates will be pro rata according to a secretary’s current working pattern. The assimilation of School Secretaries to the CO Grade III pay scale will require further dialogue between the parties and an intensive engagement will take place of over the next two/three weeks to allow this to be finalised.
My Department has also offered to improve the conditions for School Secretaries with regard to sick leave, annual leave and maternity provisions for this cohort of staff. This will take place via direct engagement with the unions in the coming weeks in addition to engagement on other elements of the claim and subject to all elements being agreed.
While there is agreement in principle to take the same approach to the consideration of appropriate pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers there remains a deficit of data on working terms and conditions of such staff. When the final package for secretaries has been agreed and an implementation plan in place for schools and DE, that intensive engagement will begin on regularising the pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers.
I welcome the deferral of the action scheduled for Wednesday 15th September to allow for intensive talks to resume aimed at resolving the claim and agreeing a final package and I look forward to further progress being advanced.
119. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education the status of the review of the pilot PPP schools bundle 2019-2021 report, including the assessment of whether the project objectives have been met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45671/21]
View answerI wish to confirm that the review is completed and the completed report was published in July 2021 and includes the relevant assessment referred to by the Deputy. The report can be located at the following link: www.gov.ie/en/publication/2b005-review-of-the-pilot-ppp-schools-bundle-2019-2021.
The completed report provides a comprehensive comparative analysis between the projects delivered under the pilot PPP schools bundle and some equivalent schools delivered at that time through conventional delivery mechanisms.
120. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education if her Department will publish the documentation involved in the order, acquisition and checking of CO2 monitors for schools; the cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45188/21]
View answerManaging ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided at the end of May following the work of an expert group that carefully considered the role of ventilation in managing COVID-19.
A copy of the guidance is published on the Gov.ie website.
The over-arching approach in the guidance is for schools to have windows open as fully as possible when classrooms are not in use and partially open when classrooms are in use.
The guidance outlines that Carbon Dioxide (CO2) monitors can play a part in providing a useful general indication that areas/rooms may not be adequately ventilated. They can enable occupants to become familiar with the impacts of activities, outdoor weather and window openings on levels of good ventilation.
My Department procured portable monitors that are currently being distributed to schools – between 2 and 20 at primary school level and between 20 and 35 at post-primary school level depending on school size, at an estimated overall cost of €4 million. The monitors are portable, simple to use, and will give a digital reading.
The procurement of the monitors was carried out through a Multi-Supplier Framework established by the Education Procurement Service to run from 2020 to 2024 following an open competitive procurement process. A mini competition for the supply of the CO2 monitors to schools under that Framework was undertaken in April 2021. The responses were assessed by the Education Procurement Service with the CO2 monitors evaluated against the performance specification. Lennox Laboratory Supplies Ltd. was the most economically advantageous tender and an order was placed following the successful conclusion of that process.
Deliveries of CO2 monitors to schools commenced in the third week of August. In total, it involves over 35,000 CO2 monitors being distributed to, primary and post-primary schools. 25,000 CO2 monitors have been distributed to schools which has facilitated monitors being provided to each school.
96% of primary schools (including all special schools) having received their full allocation of CO2. Ten CO2 monitors have been provided to schools at post-primary level with the balance of their allocation expected to be distributed in October.
121. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education if she will work with a school and an organisation (details supplied) to ensure that the pitches used by the college for generations are kept for use of the college, the local community and sports clubs into the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45643/21]
View answerThe lands to which the Deputy refers are in private ownership and my Department understands that they are the subject of a legally binding contract.
An application under the Strategic Housing Development (SHD) process for the development of the lands referred to by the Deputy has been submitted to An Bord Pleanála. My Department, as a prescribed body, was recently notified of the application and invited to submit its observations to An Bord Pleanála. In considering such matters my Department has regard to current and future school requirements in the area in which the site is located. This will form the basis for the response to An Bord Pleanála.
Due to the legal ownership position and the planning application to be considered by An Bord Pleanála, my Department does not consider it would be appropriate to seek an intervention in this matter in the manner suggested by the Deputy.
122. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education her plans to ensure universal availability of a schoolbook rental scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45175/21]
View answerMy Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €17.2 million in 2021 to all of these schools.
School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books for parents and in order to support the establishment of book rental schemes my Department provided €15.7 million seed capital in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to primary schools. Circa. 96% of primary schools and 69% of post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme.
It is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own policy in relation to the use of book grant funding in the school but they are expected to adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books for use in their classes. The current arrangement relies on the local knowledge of the school in order to ensure a fair allocation of funds to those most in need.
Additional funding of €1million provided under Budget 2020 was allocated to 102 Primary DEIS schools for a new pilot programme for the 2020/21 school year. I have recently secured funding to continue this for the 2021/22 school year.
The aim of this pilot is to provide free school books for students in the schools involved, and to support these schools in eliminating the cost of school books for parents. It will continue to run for the 2021/22 school year and its effectiveness and impact will be monitored and evaluated before any decision is made as regards its possible extension or continuation. Under Circular 46/2013, DEIS schools receive a book grant of €21 per student. This pilot provided an additional €64 per student to increase the overall book grant rate to €85 per student enrolled in the school. This additional funding has issued to schools.
My Department does not hold information in relation to the cost of school books but an indicative estimate of providing free primary and secondary school books to all pupils across all fully publicly funded schools based on a survey by Barnardos is €40m.
123. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education her plans to address educational disadvantage which has worsened due to the Covid-19 pandemic. [45597/21]
View answerDEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level.
In the 2021/22 academic year there are 884 schools in the DEIS Programme serving over 186,000 pupils - 687 Primary and 197 Post Primary.
My Department will spend over €150 million on the DEIS Programme in 2021, which includes some €26.07 million for the School Completion Programme.
The full list of supports available under the DEIS Programme for the 2021/22 school year is available on Gov.ie at the following link www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/4018ea-deis-delivering-equality-of-opportunity-in-schools/
I recently announced that a COVID Learning and Support Scheme (CLASS) has been put in place for the 2021/22 school year to help all schools mitigate the adverse impacts of Covid-19 on pupil/student learning loss and wellbeing arising from the periods of school closures in 2020 and 2021.
Under the programme, a block of additional teaching hours is being provided to each recognised school, from which schools can provide additional teaching support for the pupils/students who have experienced difficulties in settling back into school and engaging with learning.
The allocations of additional teaching hours are provided on a graduated and proportionate basis, based on school size, using the 2020/21 school enrolments data, as published on the Primary (POD) and Post Primary Online Databases (PPOD).
Enhanced allocations are also being provided for special schools and schools participating in the DEIS Programme. Schools may use the additional allocation of teaching hours in accordance with the needs of their students. This will enable schools to identify students most at risk of learning loss arising from the recent disrupted school experience and put in place specific targeted teaching supports to meet these students’ needs. The additional hours can be utilized by schools from October of this year, to the end of the 2021/22 school year.
Full detail of the programme is set out in Department circular 045/2021 which is available at www.gov.ie/en/circular/aec0a-covid-learning-and-support-scheme/.
124. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education her plans to tackle large class sizes; if a commitment will be made to undertake an audit of class sizes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45567/21]
View answerUnder the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools.
Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment on the previous 30 September. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school management annually and are available on the Department website.
As part of the Budget 2021 measures, the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule and the introduction of a three point reduction in the number of pupils needed to retain a teacher. For the 2021/22 school year the staffing schedule is on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils. This is the lowest pupil teacher ratio ever at primary school.
The latest figures in relation to pupil teacher ratio shows an improved ratio of teachers to pupils from 16:1 to 14.5:1 at primary level when comparing the 2015/16 school year to the 2020/21 school year. This compares favourably with the OECD pupil teacher ratio which is 1:15. The staffing schedule has improved from 28:1 to 25:1 and average class sizes improved from 24.9 to 23.3 in the same period. The most recent budget announcement will continue the positive trend of improving class sizes for this school year, and statistics on this will be published later in the year.
At post primary level, teachers are currently allocated at a ratio of 19:1 in the free education system and 23:1 to schools in the fee charging sector. As part of COVID-19 operational supports, 1,000 additional teachers have been allocated to post-primary schools to help reduce class sizes. A teacher allocation equivalent to a pupil teacher ratio reduction of 0.6 has been allocated to schools in the free scheme. This allocation supports the important work of teaching and learning and provide additional teachers needed to support teacher substitution, management of physical distancing requirements by reallocating class timetables in schools to smaller groups class sizes where necessary. These posts will also provide for management supports. In addition an allocation, equivalent to a pupil teacher ratio reduction of 0.1 has been provided in respect of Guidance provision to support student wellbeing.
Any further improvement will have to be considered in the context of the annual budgetary process.
The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data in relation to our schools including pupil teacher ratios and teacher numbers.
125. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the difficulty parents have in engaging a list of suitably qualified special needs assistants particularly in relation to the home-based summer programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45577/21]
View answerI am aware of the difficulty experienced by some parents in sourcing teachers to come into their home to provide tuition to their child under the home based strand of the summer programme.
In this regard, it is not practical for my Department to maintain lists of teachers and SNAs who are willing to work on the summer programme at a local level throughout the country. For this reason, my Department engaged with the NCSE and the IPPN on the publication of a list of teachers and SNAs who would be available to do this work. Schools were also requested to support parents in sourcing a teacher of a an SNA in the local area.
In addition, the home based strand could be availed of over the summer vacation period thereby providing flexibility for parents.
Teachers and SNAs were permitted to work with more than one family over the course of the summer, once they adhered to the terms of the scheme, and the COVID-19 guidance provided.
The issue of support and information for parents will be considered in the planned review of the summer programme.
My Department’s Summer Programme for 2020 was a significant expansion on the July Provision programme of previous years, and was expanded further for Summer 2021. This was in recognition of the disruptions caused to children with complex needs during the COVID-related school closures in 2020 and 2021.
