This article is from page 10 of the 2012-02-21 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 10 JPG
CONCERNED parents, teachers and community leaders heard last night how budget cuts to education will be detrimental to school communities in Clare.
At a mass meeting held in the West County Hotel, Sean Mc Mahon, Clare executive member of the INTO, called on the Minister for Education and Skills to rethink his education budget cuts particularly to disadvantaged (DEIS) and to small primary schools.
“The budget approach is fundamentally flawed, misguided and will be detrimental to school communities throughout Clare. What is needed is a coherent, long-term and resourced strategy for sustainable schools into the future. Instead what we have are budget proposals aimed at forcibly amalgamating some small schools by cutting teachers.
“The department should wait for the outcomes of a value for money report which it is undertaking. INTO has submitted our views on the importance and benefits of small schools in rural communities. They are very much aware that a programme of amalgamation of approximately 1,000 small rural schools has already taken place in the late ‘60s early ‘70s. The decline of many rural communities was, in fact, blamed on that policy of forced amalgamations or closures,” he said.
“This budget is being used as a blunt instrument to cut frontline services in small schools and disadvantaged schools. The money saved is going from education to feed the massive debt created by greedy bankers and speculators.”
Decisions about small schools in rural communities should be about ensuring the best education for pupils regardless of location. This is a complex matter and many issues need to be considered before embarking on a policy that will see some schools close, the crowd heard.
“We need to look at enrolment patterns and trends, investment in school buildings past and present and respect for language and religious diversity,” said Mr McMahon.
“Primary consideration must be given to the needs of pupils, their parents and the wider community. We also need to come up with alternatives to forced closure and pressurised amalgamations.”
The Minister was called on to deliver the three R’s: reversal of budget cuts to disadvantaged schools; removal of retrospection (basing teacher numbers on the previous year) and realign the additional education support available to the number of pupils in the school rather than the number of class-teachers.