asked the Minister for Education if he will place in the Oireachtas Library a copy of his recent circular limiting maximum class sizes in primary schools.
Written Answers. - Primary School Class Sizes.
139.
Copies of the circular in question have been placed in the Oireachtas Library.
140.
asked the Minister for Education if the limit of a maximum class size of 40 will apply to national schools with less than 305 pupils; and the number of such schools.
The recently announced improvements in the pupil-teacher ratio apply to schools having an enrolment of 305 pupils or more, and the condition as to maximum class size of 40 pupils laid down in the circular letter announcing the improvement refers specifically to schools which will benefit from this improvement. However, in smaller schools the pupil-teacher ratio is such that, given a suitable organisation, the question of classes having more than 40 pupils need not normally arise. There are 2,862 such schools.
Question No. 141 postponed.
142.
asked the Minister for Education the number of national schools with classes of (a) 40 to 45 pupils; and (b) more than 45 pupils; and how many schools have 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or more than ten classes of more than 40 pupils.
The estimated number of schools in which there is at least one class in the range 40-45 pupils is 1,050. The estimated number of schools in which there is at least one class with over 45 pupils is 240.
The information sought by the Deputy in the second part of the question is not readily available from the statistical records of the Department.
143.
asked the Minister for Education the number of classes in national schools with (a) 40 to 45 pupils; and (b) more than 45 pupils.
144.
asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils in national schools in classes of (a) 40 to 45 pupils; and (b) more than 45 pupils.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 143 and 144 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is as follows:—
|
Class Size |
Pupils |
Classes |
|
40-45 |
156,823 |
3,722 |
|
Over 45 |
19,055 |
400 |
These figures relate to September 1977 and involve an element of estimation due to the fact that a small number of queries have not yet been resolved.