This article is from page 10 of the 2011-12-06 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
CUTS IN education amount to “incredibly bad news” for rural schools, according to the INTO in Clare.
Arising out of yesterday’s budget, cuts in one, two, three and four teacher schools (primary) are likely as the pupil teacher ratio is to increase.
It means that schools with fewer than 20 pupils will struggle to survive, including Scropul; Boston; Tubber; Doonaha; Clonigulane, Kilmihil; Ballyvaughan; Baltard and Broadford.
Seán McMahon, who is the central executive representative for INTO in Clare, said, “It’s incredibly bad news for rural Ireland. The issue of the pupil teacher ratio is incredibly problematic for one, two, three and four-teacher schools but is not problematic for schools up the line.”
“Over the next number of years, I anticipate the closure of a large number of schools including in county Clare,” he said.
Currently schools with 49 pupils are entitled to three teachers. This is due to increase to 51; will rise further to 54 next year and 56 in two years’ time. It means that a school falling just under this number will lose a teacher.
“Effectively that will mean if a school doesn’t make the magic figure of 56 in three years, the school will be reduced to two teachers,” said Mr McMahon.
“In my opinion it would be hugely problematic for the cohesion of rural society. It will take from the fabric of rural society,” he said.
He said that schools with fewer than 20 pupils will be most “at risk over the next two years”.
Meanwhile, a Shannon teacher said last night that cuts to guidance services is worrying. The president of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI), Bernie Ruane – who is a teacher at St Patrick’s Comprehensive School in Shannon – said, “Guidance will be part of the teaching team. One to one counselling sessions that guidance provided will be done away with.
“That will inevitably lead to job losses in Clare as schools will be over the quota and part-time teachers will be let go. Part-time teachers have no protection,” she said.
“Some schools might not be able to afford to dedicate any specific time to guidance.
“You really need to interview students individually to take their ability into account,” she added.
She said she was “quite pleased” that the pupil teacher ratio has not been changed for most schools. It is to increase for fee paying schools, but not for the remainder of secondlevel schools. It will decrease slightly from 19 to 18.25 in disadvantaged schools.