Dáil debates

Tuesday, 1 December 2020

Ceisteanna (Atógáil) - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

Schools Administration

5:35 pm

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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26. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the administration day currently allowed per week to teaching principals will be maintained into 2021; if there is a provision within the education service plan to support same going forward; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40021/20]

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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Will the administration day that is currently allowed to teaching principals be maintained into 2021 and, ideally, beyond that? All school principals are facing a very significant workload and Covid has only highlighted how difficult that is. There is a huge body of administration work to be done. Does the Minister have any thoughts on that?

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I acknowledge the huge contribution made by all school leaders, particularly during this academic year as they continue to work to ensure schools can operate safely. The Roadmap for the Full Return to School provides for comprehensive supports across a range of areas to allow for the safe and sustainable operation of schools. This package of supports totals some €557 million for the 2020-2021 school year and includes funding for additional staffing, management supports, enhanced cleaning, hand hygiene, personal protective equipment costs and increased capital works funding for schools under the Covid-19 response plans. As part of this additional funding, specific funding was provided, as the Deputy pointed out, to support principals and deputy principals who undertake teaching duties in primary schools.

This funding provides each teaching principal with a minimum of one release day per week and release days for deputy principals in those schools that have an existing administrative principal for this school year. More than 1,700 primary schools with teaching principals have benefitted from the increase in release days.

These supports will remain in place for the remainder of this school year and the continuation of these supports will be considered as part of the ongoing measures required to support schools to operate in a Covid-19 context and to implement the control measure required to limit the spread of Covid-19 in our schools in line with public health advice and the annual estimates process for the next academic year.

5:45 pm

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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As the Minister notes, a great deal of work has been done by principals, deputy principals and boards of management. Looking at any school with 200 or 300 pupils, one can see the additional workload around procurement for Covid. I also wish to highlight the problem of recruiting people from assistant principal to take on the principals' workloads. Many assistant principals regard it as an onerous task. The administration of the role and how it is done needs to be examined.

I suggest the Department considers ongoing training, say in procurement or business consulting, for principals. It is very unfair that people can be elevated into a position that they might not have wanted to take but they felt responsible and now they find themselves in the middle of all these other governance issues which they have probably not been exposed to before.

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the huge workload placed on the shoulders of school leaders and school communities. I recognise the importance of these additional days and how beneficial they have been. Now they have been given, we can see the excellent use to which they were put and how necessary a provision they were. The Department showed considerable foresight in putting them in place. I in no way underestimate their benefit or value. We will review the Covid-19 measures required for next year in the context of the budget but I am very conscious of the benefit of that measure.

There are various supports for principals and deputy principals, recognising the leadership roles that they play in schools. I do not underestimate their value or importance in schools.

Photo of Matt ShanahanMatt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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I appreciate that. Regardless of the days, which are ongoing, and the administrative supports, some continuous training in governance would be a great help to teachers. Hopefully these release days will continue into 2022 to help with the onerous burden borne by principals.

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate the Deputy's points. In the context of Covid-19, a series of webinars was put on on the specific demands placed on principals and school leaders. Webinars were also available to the school community, including parents with children returning to school. They will continue in the context of Covid-19.