Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2021
338. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the consideration that has been given to a moratorium on the reduction of teacher and SNA allocation numbers in any school in September 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25500/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe key factor for determining the level of mainstream staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
For the 2021/22 school year, an improvement of one point in the appointment threshold in primary schools has been introduced and schools will be provided with class teachers on the basis of 1 teacher for every 25 pupils which is a historical low ratio. In addition, a three point reduction in the retention scale has also been introduced for September 2021. These measures will help to ensure that less pupils are required to recruit or retain a teacher.
The allocation of teaching posts must be done in a way that is fair to all schools, and some schools will continue to lose posts while others will gain a posts as their respective enrolments rise and fall. This is important to ensuring equity in the school system and that posts are allocated to where they are needed.
In December 2019, Government approved the national roll out of a new frontloading model for the allocation of SNAs support to primary and post-primary schools for students in mainstream classes, as part of the phased roll out of the School Inclusion Model (SIM).
In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for Special Needs Assistants for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.
The disruption prevented the delivery of the necessary training and information workshops to support the roll out of the new allocation model which had been planned for earlier this year.
The training and workshops are designed to help school leaders and teachers in their in-school planning for the new model and their engagement with parents. These sessions will now be rescheduled by the NCSE to take place during the 2021/22 school year.
SNA allocations for 2021/22 school year will be based on the actual number of SNAs employed by a school on 30 April 2021 and the allocation on that date will be rolled over into 2021/22. No school will receive a reduced allocation.
As in previous years, there will be provision for schools to apply to the NCSE for additionality where exceptional circumstances give rise to new care needs that cannot be catered for within existing allocations. My Department will advise schools of the arrangements which will apply regarding this process shortly.
SNA allocations for 2021/22 will be published later this month as in previous years. SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.
