Patrick McCartan
Ceist:52 Mr. McCartan asked the Minister for Education if she will make a statement on teacher unemployment at a time when our class sizes are large by EC standards; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Teacher Unemployment.
Under the agreement on staffing of national schools made between the Government and the INTO under the Programme for National Recovery, the pupil/teacher ratio in national schools will be improved by one unit from the 1 September 1990. The effect of this reduction in the PTR will create approximately 250 new posts in the 1990-91 school year.
The recent allocation of 95 additional posts under my Department's special scheme of teaching assistance for schools serving disadvantaged areas and 30 additional remedial posts has helped to improve the employment opportunities for graduate teachers.
In relation to post-primary schools, it is not possible to give a definitive statement on the subject of teacher unemployment. However, what I can give to the Deputy are statistics in relation to new teacher appointments in the post-primary school area for the school year 1989-90:
|
Type of School |
Number of new appointments |
|
(1) Voluntary Secondary |
203 |
|
(2) Community and Com- prehensive |
53 |
|
(3) Vocational |
228 |
|
484 |
Also, The Deputy may be aware of my announcement earlier this year that the Government have decided that, where there are post-primary teachers over quota by reference to a 20:1 pupil/teacher ratio, teachers may be retained to the extent that such retention would be justified by the application of a pupil/teacher ratio of 19:1, with the exception of fee-paying post-primary schools. Extra resources will be made available to provide additional teachers in specific disadvantaged areas.
Following discussions with all interested parties a questionnaire issued to all second level schools in this regard seeking information which will assist my Department to make an objective assessment of the most necessitous areas. This material is at present being processed in my Department. All of these measures, together with the continuation of the career break scheme for teachers, will enhance the employment opportunities for qualified teachers who may, for a variety of reasons, be at present without teaching posts.