asked the Minister for Education if he will arrange for the provision of an adequate number of manual instructors for post-primary schools.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Manual Instructors.
92.
Mr. R. Burke
This matter is being kept under review. It is considered that the number qualifying at the relevant courses over the next few years will be adequate for the needs of the situation in that period.
Is the Minister aware that last year Kildare Vocational Education Committee applied for seven manual instructors but were only granted three? This involved frightful travelling all over the area for the manual instructors whom we have. We have reached the stage now where we have no manual instructors for woodwork classes at night time. Would the Minister not agree that this is one of the reasons why we failed to correct the academic bias that we deplore so much?
Mr. R. Burke
I would agree with the Deputy that we are not in a position, and have not been for a number of years past, to produce enough teachers of these subjects. At the moment we are training for woodwork, woodwork and building construction, educational woodwork, metalwork for secondary schools and post-primary schools in that order. We have a total of 231 teachers being trained in these courses at present. While I agree with the Deputy that if we had more of them we would be pleased, we have to progress as best we can in these circumstsances.
Would it be possible to train 300 or more in any one year?
Mr. R. Burke
We seek to increase the number year by year. I think, perhaps, that we will reach that target in the very near future.