asked the Minister for Education if she will indicate in relation to schools where secretarial and caretaker staff will no longer be available as a result of the cutbacks announced by her, the persons who will be responsible for carrying out work formerly done by such staff.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Schools Secretarial and Caretaker Staffs.
16.
The management authorities of national and secondary schools are responsible for the day-to-day running of their schools, including the making of arrangements for the carrying out of any clerical or caretaking work that arises.
Is the Minister aware that the result of the resignation or otherwise of a secretary to a national school or a caretaker of a national school could result in the headmaster or principal of that school being responsible for a wide range of activities which bear no relation at all to education of pupils in the school?
I am aware that the duties and responsibilities of principal teachers as agreed between representatives of the Department, the managerial associations and the INTO include among other things the care and safe custody of school requisites, equipment and teaching aids, co-operation with the manager in matters relating to school maintenance, heating and cleaning, care and general appearance of school and school grounds, school records and official forms and in the case of boards of management in national schools the manager with the principal teacher may decide what duties are necessary to suit the needs of the school. The position in regard to secondary schools is that the manager may determine to which staff members clerical duties may be assigned.
I have an instance in my constituency of a school with 700 pupils. The secretarial work involves all kinds of typing, filing, registering, selling of school books and copybooks, answering telephones, meeting parents, arranging the intake of new pupils, dealing with all school finances, making appointments for the principal and teachers with parents, working of office equipment, copiers, Gestetners and so forth.
That is a lot of information.
Does the Minister seriously expect the principal of the school to do all of those things and at the same time look after the educational needs of the pupils?
I have to repeat my answer and tell the Deputy that the management authority of national and secondary schools are responsible for the day-to-day running of their schools, including making arrangements for the carrying out of any clerical or caretaking work that arises.
With regard to Deputy De Rossa's question, will the Minister accept that while the headmaster has responsibility in the area she has indicated it was never envisaged that it is he who should type and do all the chores to which the Deputy referred, and that there is an educational loss to the school and a diseconomy in the whole situation when it is suggested that he should be doing that as against being responsible for it?
I am not aware of making any such suggestion.
Does the Minister envisage that teachers should become maintenance men instead of being teachers on a full-time basis in the schools? Is this not in effect what will happen? Will the Minister answer that question?
Question No. 17.
I expect an answer to my question.
The Chair has no control over the answers to questions.