Paudge Connolly (Cavan-Monaghan, Independent)

Teaching is one of the areas in which I receive quite a large number of representations from teachers, parents and schools. It is always focused on class size and accommodation at schools. In many cases, the accommodation leaves much to be desired. It gives me no great pleasure to note that the primary school class size, which is supposed to average at 24.2 pupils, is ranked as the second worst in the enlarged 25-nation EU. It is a grievous indictment of our education system. Class size reduction should become an urgent priority and I do not get any sense that the issue is currently being prioritised. The existing Government programme is meaningless, as its own guidelines are not being met. Implementation of the current guidelines would ensure that the average class size for children of age nine and under would be below the international best practice of 20 to one. However, this is not happening. The programme for Government indicated that it would meet certain class sizes. Two years remain, and I do not detect any sign that the target will be met.

Deputy Healy referred to the large class sizes in Tipperary. I assure him that we have the same problems in Monaghan and Cavan and I imagine that every Deputy from every county has encountered similar statistics. It is also well documented that educational gains made by primary school children in junior classes are particularly long-lasting. It is very important, as one is only young once, in terms of increased pupil engagement, more hands-on learning, higher teacher morale and a more cohesive classroom atmosphere with minimal behavioural problems. These are issues of which we cannot lose sight. In addition, the issue of more individualised teaching is important. Teachers get an opportunity of involving themselves more with children and with writing and oral issues. Teachers can individually teach children who may have missed a few days of school through sickness. Children who are lagging behind need additional encouragement and they can receive this in normal-sized classrooms. Currently, teachers in classrooms with 30 or 40 pupils can only concentrate on teaching the three Rs and other aspects of pupils' development are left behind. There is more to education that learning the three Rs. Young people need to be taught how to communicate. Some children are good at music and we should be able to draw out other talents that children have.

Deputy McGrath mentioned teacher involvement. There is a better chance that a teacher will become involved in extracurricular activities if he or she is satisfied in his or her work. These are things that we have been taking for granted from teachers. I remember a teacher of mine who was involved in sports. I developed a better relationship with that teacher through it. If a teacher brought pupils out on to the football pitch after teaching, pupils tried harder and took greater pride in doing their work well. If the relationship between teacher and pupil is fostered correctly at the junior and primary school level, it will carry through to the secondary level.

We wonder why people cannot communicate or trust others. If children are not taught how to trust seniors or their peers in society, they will never learn. We see the result of this lack of trust and inability to communicate in the current high suicide rate. We wonder why children drop out of school or students drop out of third level education.

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