asked the Minister for Education the financial and administrative arrangements he has made regarding the proposed transition year in post-primary schools due to be introduced in this coming September.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Post-primary Schools Transition Year.
32.
My Department have issued circular letters to the authorities of all post-primary schools enclosing copies of the document, "Ages for Learning, Decisions of Government, May 1985", and explaining how schools are to apply for approval to introduce the types of courses described in that document. Schools have also been given copies of the document "Transition Year Programmes: Guidelines for Schools", published by the Curriculum and Examinations Board.
The necessary arrangements have been made in my Department to process the applications from the schools. It is not envisaged that any additional cost will arise in the coming school year.
Regarding that last sentence, can the Minister explain how a school which up to now has had a five year second level cycle can implement a sixth year cycle without engaging extra teachers and, consequently, involving extra costs?
The transition year relates to the provision of an extra year for pupils so as to enable them to spend six years in secondary school. I understand that secondary schools have a six year cycle but that many students complete only five years and leave at 17 years. That is not desirable educationally. In the event of approval being granted to a school for a transition year, the standard per capita grant will be made and the standard pupil-teacher ratio will apply in respect of all the classes involved. What I meant was that it is not envisaged that any cost in addition to what is provided for in the budget will arise so far as the Department are concerned to deal with the transition arrangements. Applications for the transition year are in the course of being examined but we are disappointed that not very many such applications have been made yet. We are anxious to approve applications as quickly as possible because of the value of this transition year and because of the welcome it has received generally from educationalists.
I was one of those people who welcomed the announcement by the former Minister of the transition year. Lest the Minister should be perplexed as to why not many schools have applied yet in this regard, the reason is that they cannot provide the teachers for the extra classes.
A question, Deputy.
Is the Minister aware that half of the places at second level are at present provided for a five year cycle only and that if a six year cycle is to be provided they will need more teachers? That is why they are not taking it up. Many have put it on the high shelf. Could the Minister say that his Department will look sympathetically at a school which writes in saying they wish to provide a transition year but that they wish to have teachers to go with it?
Of course.
That is a marvellous breakthrough.
I would look favourably at anything that Deputy O'Rourke proposes, but I will not necessarily agree to it.