asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that the allocation of teachers to County Clare Vocational Education Committee is inadequate; and that unless the present allocation of teachers is increased, schools may have to be closed down and it will be impossible to carry on their teaching programme as planned; and if he will reconsider the matter with a view to increasing the number of teachers available to the committee.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Clare Vocational School Teachers.
30.
The method of determining teacher requirements by reference to a pupil/teacher ratio is an internationally recognised one. The fact that it has been introduced in respect of vocational schools for the first time this year has given rise to a good deal of misunderstanding and, I regret to say, some misrepresentation. I should like, first of all therefore, to make it clear that the pupil/teacher ratio has been applied to all vocational education committees and not just to some of them. Secondly, I should like to point out that the actual ratio adopted is a generous one.
The examination of the position in vocational schools shows that in fact there are very wide disparities between schools and between schemes which are not easily explainable. The allocation of teachers made recently to each vocational education committee was composed of the sum of the following three elements:—
(a) the committee's projected enrolment of whole-time day continuation pupils in September, 1970, divided by 17.5;
(b) the committee's projected teaching hours for apprenticeship and adult education work divided by 800 to give the required number of full-time equivalent teachers for these classes;
(c) the number of headmasters in the committee's scheme.
Allowance was also made by the Department for any teaching services provided by a committee to secondary schools under co-operation arrangements or for any non-school services provided by a committee.
The position is that some committees have been operating by reference to class sizes which are far too low and consequently feel that the Department's allocation is inadequate. There is no reason why any committee should in any way curtail or restrict their projected apprenticeship or adult education programmes. As I have indicated, full allowance was given in respect of each committee's projection of its needs in this matter.
In these circumstances I feel that the teacher allocation sanctioned by my Department is adequate to meet each committee's needs provided they operate on the basis of reasonable class sizes. It has also been made clear to committees that the Department will be prepared to reconsider the matter on the basis of an examination in depth of the position in each of their schools where there are any circumstances of a special nature. Such an examination is in fact proceeding in a number of cases.
Is the Minister aware that the Clare Vocational Education Committee and the parents and pupils are alarmed at this method of curtailment? It would in fact mean the curtailment of the scheme which they have prepared and the abandonment of 3,200 hours which could be availed of by the adult pupils in the night classes and under the suggestion——
We cannot have a speech on this.
Is the Minister aware that the Department's suggestion will mean that rural areas will not benefit and, in fact, they will be victimised but there will be no curtailment in the built-up areas?
I do not accept what the Deputy says. I have already pointed out that the staff allocation proposed by us is generous. In fact, we are proposing a pupil/teacher ratio which they do not hope to reach in Scotland until 1975-1976 and everybody accepts that Scotland is very far advanced educationally. As I mentioned in my reply, our allocation takes into account not only the whole-time day classes but the part-time and evening classes, including the adult education courses. We are prepared, as I also said in my reply, to examine in depth cases of schools where there are any circumstances of a special nature.
I appreciate the Minister's anxiety in this scheme and I know that, in common with Deputies and with vocational committees, he is anxious that we should save the west. Therefore I would ask him to have second thoughts and to allow the full allocation of teachers to remote areas like County Clare.
I have already explained that I am willing to have any case examined where there is a particular problem.