Vol. 409 No. 8
47 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Education the action she intends to take to rectify the situation whereby because of education cut-backs the hiring of part-time/full-time teachers in some instances is being paid privately by schools in order to ensure that pupils have a range of subject options; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
The allocation of full-time teaching staff to schools is based on the number of recognised pupils and the prevailing pupil/teacher ratio.
Under the terms of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress the pupil/teacher ratio will be reduced to 19.5:1 from the commencement of the school year 1991-92 and to 19:1 in the following year. In addition, the programme provides for additional posts for the disadvantaged, for guidance and exquota vice-principal teachers. The provisions of the programme will create about 900 additional teaching posts at post-primary level. These arrangements complement provisions already made for additional posts for remedial teachers, teachers for schools in disadvantaged areas, etc. Overall, therefore, everything possible is being done to assist schools in providing as wide a range of subjects as possible, consistent with school size.
These arrangements do not preclude secondary schools from employing additional teachers from their own resources, which is entirely at their own discretion.
There are in excess of 1,000 teachers in the post-primary sector over and above what a strict pupil/teacher ratio would give when one takes into account the variety of ex-quota posts for remedial, guidance, small schools, sole providers, curricular concessions, etc.
