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Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to discuss Reduced Timetables

14 Oct 2020, 15:49

The Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science will meet tomorrow, Thursday, at 11.30am in Committee Room 2 of Leinster when the topic of reduced timetables in schools will be discussed with Officials from the Department of Education.

Speaking in advance of the meeting, Committee Chairperson, Paul Kehoe TD, said: “While it has been a very challenging few months for schools since March, it is important that we get an update from Officials from the Department of Education as to the status of the use of reduced timetables in schools, and  progress made in implementing the other recommendations in the Report on the issue published by the former Joint Committee on Education and Skills in July 2019.”

This report highlighted that reduced timetables were being used in schools as a behavioural management tool largely because of the lack of clear guidelines and formal system surrounding the initiation, use and monitoring of reduced timetables.

Chairperson Kehoe added: “The key issue highlighted in the report is that reduced timetables were being used in mainstream schools and special schools outside of their original purpose, inappropriately, mainly as a behavioural management tool and that Final Guidelines need to be published urgently to resolve this situation.

"I look forward to Thursday’s engagement and the opportunity to update the Committee on the when the Guidelines will be published and other pertinent issues including  reporting, access to therapies and Special Needs Education supports.”

Tomorrow’s meeting in Committee Room 2 can be viewed live on Oireachtas TV.

For more information about the work of the Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science see the Committee webpage

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