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Staffing crisis affects local primary schools

Thursday, 03 July 2008

A CRISIS at two local primary schools is leaving classes overcrowded and understaffed, a Northside TD has claimed.
Dublin North East TD Terence Flanagan (FG) has highlighted the conditions at St Peter and Paul Boys’ National School in Baldoyle and St Kevin’s Junior National School in Donaghmede and called on the Government to resolve the “crisis” situation.
Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Flanagan called on Minister for Education, Batt O’Keeffe, to reconsider the decision to cut back a teacher at both of these schools, stating that young people and staff will suffer as a result.
“St Kevin’s Junior National School will lose a teacher for the upcoming school year,” he said.
“The school will now consist of four classes which will mean the amalgamation of the present Junior Infants to make a class of 35.
“I informed the minister that this class includes six children for whom English is not their first language, one child with diagnosed special needs and children with mixed abilities.”
Deputy Flanagan said the loss of a teacher at St Peter and Paul Boys’ National School would leave 29 junior infants in one class.
“This teacher would have facilitated an extra Junior Infants’ class, a situation that was previously enacted,” he added.
“This would enable the younger children to obtain a proper introduction into school life in a smaller class.
“How can these pupils get a decent start when their progress is to be hindered in a class of 29?"
In response to Deputy Flanagan, Minister O’Keeffe said the Programme for Government had set out to reduce class size and provide additional teachers, but it was not possible to move any further this year.
“Both schools have lodged appeals with the Primary Staffing Appeal Board, which is independent of the Department of Education,” stated Minister O’Keeffe.

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