asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of a report (details supplied) that more than 30 per cent of first-year vocational school pupils have reading difficulties; and if he proposes to take any steps to provide all schools with the necessary help to cope with the problem of reading backwardness.
Written Answers. - Pupil Reading Difficulties.
228.
The report to which the Deputy refers is based upon a survey carried out in 1971/72. I understand that there are indications of an improvement in reading standards in our schools in recent years.
I am keenly aware of the importance of maintaining satisfactory standards of reading ability amongst post-primary pupils and my Department continue to keep this area under constant review. Measures taken towards dealing with problems in this area in recent years include—(i) the training of 308 remedial teachers for post-primary schools since 1971, (43 more are in training at present); (ii) the provision of training courses in remedial education for teachers other than remedial teachers; (iii) a request to school authorities that they pay special attention to the needs of remedial education in their schools when making use of the improved pupil-teacher ratio for post-primary schools, which I sanctioned in July 1977; (iv) the establishment of the Pupil Transfer Committee, whose report may be anticipated to have regard to the standard of reading amongst first year post-primary pupils.