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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 20 Mar 2002

Vol. 550 No. 4

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Michael Creed

Ceist:

700 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the widespread practice whereby boards of management are employing dance and drama teachers for schools and that many of these teachers are shared among a number of primary schools; his proposals to recognise and sanction these posts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8434/02]

Dance and drama form part of the revised primary school curriculum and schools are obliged to provide dance and drama instruction for their pupils. Boards of management of primary schools are expected to employ fully qualified teachers, able to teach all aspects of the curriculum, including dance and drama. As a result there should be no need to employ the services of a dance and drama instructor to provide dance and drama lessons during school time.

Should a dance and drama teacher be employed, however, such a teacher should act as assistant to the class teacher. The class teacher should be fully aware of the planned content of lessons and should be present at all times during the lessons so that he or she will be in a position to expand on the content in the absence of the outside teacher.

While the board of management may employ the services of a dance and drama instructor during school hours and ask the pupil's parents to contribute to the cost of running such classes, it should be noted that all pupils have a right to attend classes held during school time irrespective of whether their parents choose to contribute to the cost. In this regard parents can be requested to contribute to the costs of running such classes, but no undue pressure can be brought to bear in order to make parents contribute. Indeed, if parents choose, for whatever reason, not to contribute, their child still has a right to attend all classes held within school time.
Therefore, in relation to dance and drama lessons held during school hours, all pupils in classes at whom these lessons are aimed must be allowed participate, irrespective of whether their parents have contributed to the cost of the lessons. In addition, the class teacher must be present for all such lessons.
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