Vol. 517 No. 4
266 Mr. P. Carey asked the Minister for Education and Science the proposals, if any, he has for improving the pupil-teacher ratio in infant classes in primary schools for the next school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10099/00]
The Deputy may be aware that this Government, since taking up office, has introduced a range of initiatives to help reduce the pupil teacher ratio in primary schools. The pupil teacher ratio has declined from 22.2 to 1 in the 1996-97 school year to 20.4 to 1 in the 1999-00 school year.
The retention of posts arising from the demographic dividend in the current year, together with the creation of an additional 200 posts primarily to tackle educational disadvantage, will help further to reduce the pupil teacher ratio in the 2000-01 school year.
Furthermore, under the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, it is proposed to appoint an additional 900 primary teachers in the course of the next few years.
There are no specific proposals at present to reduce the PTR for infant classes in the 2000-01 school year.
