Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 May 2016
2. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding he will allocate to increase the number of guidance counsellors in second level schools from September 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10947/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe programme for Government contains a commitment to reintroduce guidance counselling to secondary schools.
The current budget provides an improved staffing allocation to second level schools for the purpose of enhancing guidance provision. This improvement takes effect from next September. It brings the basis of allocation from 19:1 to 18.7:1 for the 2016-2017 school year. This improvement of 0.3 in the pupil-teacher ratio, PTR, allocation is a restoration of 50% of the teaching resources that were removed when the allocation of guidance posts was brought within quota.
The delivery of the 50% restoration through a change in the staffing schedule will allow each school to determine how best to allocate the additional resources to meet the guidance needs of the school. The circular issued earlier this year by my Department outlining the allocation of teaching resources clearly stated that this additional resource is to complement existing resources in order to best meet the guidance needs of the school in line with the school's guidance plan.
At the time of the guidance cuts, all 195 second-level schools in DEIS were given targeted support by a more favourable staffing schedule of 18.25:1. This was a 0.75 point improvement compared to the current PTR of 19:1 that applies in non-fee-paying second-level schools.
That was a very important protection for the cohort of our schools in DEIS most in need of support. DEIS schools will also further benefit from the 0.3 improvement to the staffing schedule which will give them an enhanced allocation on the basis of 17.95:1 in respect of the coming school year.
In the next budget I will consider the best approach to further meeting the commitments in the programme for Government.
Guím gach rath ar an Aire, an Teachta Bruton, ina ról nua. I am a little disappointed that there is only 0.3% improvement in terms of staffing. The cut to the service has been a huge difficulty for schools and has put students at a significant disadvantage. We are talking about students of 17 years or 18 years of age who have career choices to make. These are children who need proper guidance and support.
I am disappointed that more support is not being provided and I urge the Minister to consider improving on the percentage increase mentioned, particularly in the case of disadvantaged schools. These schools need more resources. I welcome the restoration provided for in the programme for Government, but I would expect a higher percentage increase. The Education Act 1998 requires that students have access to appropriate guidance to assist them in their educational and career choices.
I may have misled the Deputy somehow. Some 50% has been restored. In other words, half of what was lost has been restored. The 0.3 relates to the pupil-teacher ratio. It refers to the improvement in the teacher ratio. Some 50% of what was lost has been returned to the schools and they have the discretion to allocate that resource as they choose. The guideline encourages them to use it for support.
I agree with the Deputy that support in the area of career guidance, educational guidance and personal and social development, which are the essence of the counselling service, is really important to pupils. That is why the programme for Government has reintroduced guidance counselling. It is also worth looking at how we can improve that. Having come from the enterprise brief, I believe access to career guidance can be considerably improved by giving better information from the industrial sector and by utilising people in other employments to supplement what is done by the school teacher within the school context. It is an area in respect of which I would like to think outside the box to develop career guidance, which is only a part of the counselling service.
I ask Members to proceed with questions rather than statements.
That 0.3% of the staffing schedule, in the context of the pupil-teacher ratio, is not enough. I do not think the 50% referred to is enough either. We are not meeting our obligations under the Education Act if we only put back 50% of teachers. I urge the Minister to look at it again to see if it can be improved on.
I do not disagree with the Deputy but we have come through a period when there were a lot of cutbacks in education. We are now trying to rebuild that and that means putting back resources as and when we can get them. I have to knock on the door of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to try to get money and there are demands from all the other services, including health. I appreciate the Deputy's concern and it would certainly be my intention to work to improve the situation.
