Written answers

Wednesday, 5 April 2006

Department of Education and Science

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

9:00 pm

Photo of Mary UptonMary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 94: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her plans to fulfil the commitment in An Agreed Programme for Government on class size; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13520/06]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Major improvements in school staffing have been made in recent years with the hiring of more than 5,000 additional primary teachers. This represents the largest increase in teacher numbers since the expansion of free education. There is currently one teacher for every 17 children, the lowest pupil-teacher ratio in the history of the State. The unprecedented increase in school staffing in recent years has greatly improved the services provided for children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas. Under DEIS, or delivering equality of opportunity in schools, the action plan for educational inclusion launched in May 2005, there will be a reduction in class sizes to 24 to one at senior level and 20 to one at junior level in the 180 primary schools serving communities with the highest concentrations of disadvantage.

With more than 600 extra resource teachers put in place in this school year, children with special needs are getting more support than ever before. It should be acknowledged how much progress has been made in this area in recent years. I have recently secured sufficient funding to provide even smaller classes in our primary schools in the next school year, and the Minister for Finance has committed to a further reduction in class size the following year. Accordingly, over the next two years, my Department will put 500 extra teachers into primary schools to reduce class size and to tackle disadvantage.

The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued annually to all primary schools. The general rule is that the schedule provides at least one classroom teacher for every 29 pupils in the school. Schools with only one or two teachers have much lower staffing ratios than those with two teachers for just 12 pupils in some cases and so on, but the general rule is that there is at least one classroom teacher for every 29 children in the school. This will be reduced next year to 28 children per classroom teacher and in 2007-08 it will be reduced to 27 children per classroom teacher. Circular 0023/2006, outlining the revised staffing schedule for the 2006-07 school year is available on my Department's website. Hard copies of the circular have been issued to all primary schools.

We have consistently stated that priority for staffing would be given in the first instance to children in disadvantaged schools and those with special needs. We have done this and in line with the Government commitment, mainstream class sizes are also being reduced.

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