andMr. Noonan asked the Minister for Education why games are no longer regarded as a class subject in vocational schools which have not got a physical education teacher.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Vocational Schools Games.
11.
Mr. R. Burke
Under the agreement relating teachers' hours per week to class contact on the teaching of subjects of the approved curriculum, it was not considered appropriate to include time spent on games for the purpose of reckoning such class contact hours except in the case of a teacher of physical education. This does not prevent games from being time-tabled in any school.
Is the Minister aware of the general outcry by various vocational committees as a result of this agreement? Does he not agree that this is taking education back 50 years by relegating physical education and games as an unimportant subject?
Mr. R. Burke
The Deputy will realise that there was a substantial reduction in hours granted to the teachers and it is incumbent on me as Minister to see that a reasonable number of class contact hours is maintained for that section of the teaching profession. It is not necessary or desirable that games should be excluded. Indeed, games can be included in the way suggested in the previous question.
Would the Minister agree that the subject of games is every bit as important as academic subjects? Would he not agree that by laying down this principle he is relegating the role of games in education?
Mr. R. Burke
I am not doing what the Deputy suggests. I am stating simply that class contact hours will be as set out in the agreement between the Department and the teachers in question.
Does the Minister realise that this act is discriminating against the schools that do not have a physical education teacher?
That is most of them.
In view of that, does he not realise the serious plight of young people in smaller vocational schools throughout the country whose teachers have devoted so much time to their physical education and would he not review his decision in the light of this?
Mr. R. Burke
I am sure the Deputy is not trying to give the impression that I am preventing teachers from taking games in small vocational schools around the country.
We realise the Minister is not the only party to this agreement, that there are two parties to it. However, in view of the representations now being made to him and in view of the representations being made throughout the country as a result of this agreement would the Minister not contact the TUI again with a view to ensuring that games again becomes a subject on the curriculum of all the schools?
Mr. R. Burke
I will certainly convey to the union in question the desire expressed by the Deputies that games should be undertaken in all schools.