Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We already know the benefits of having a well educated and well trained workforce. This is of increasing importance as we strive for economic recovery. That is why it is so difficult to understand the logic behind the decision to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio across the board. While the increase in the ratio from 17:1 to 19:1 might not seem like a major change when it is reported, it is important to state it will have a major impact. The impact of the increase in the pupil-teacher ratio in the further and continuing education sector, in particular, will differ significantly from the impact a similar increase would have at second or third level. A typical further education course involves several modules taught by people from different professions. A course might have to be taught by a qualified instructor in that field in order for it to be recognised. It is not simply a matter of asking the remaining instructors to share the workload. If the instructor goes, the entire course might be discontinued, which would narrow the choices of students.

The Teachers Union of Ireland has estimated that the increase which has been announced will directly result in the loss of some or all of the hours of 500 people. The equivalent of 200 whole-time posts will be lost. We know that the further education sector embraces courses that add to further education in the wider sense. I refer to areas such as computer literacy, enhanced technical programming and multimedia skills, all of which have benefits. People involved in the technology sector keep telling us that there are jobs available in it. Given that the Government keeps going on about its jobs strategy, it seems illogical that it is cutting the provision of training to produce people to fill jobs in this sector. It just does not make and needs to be reversed.

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