Written answers

Thursday, 26 January 2012

Department of Education and Skills

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

5:00 pm

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 91: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his strategy for ensuring that the tradition of providing education in denominational schools for the Protestant community will be protected in view of cuts to pupil-teacher ratios in one, two, three and four teacher schools in budget 2012 as well as suggestions that smaller schools should look at amalgamating; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4603/12]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Along with my colleagues in Government, I recognise the importance of ensuring students from a Protestant background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos. At a time of great strain in our public finances, however, we have to ensure the valuable but limited resources available for the education system are used in the best way possible.

The staffing schedule at primary level disproportionately benefits small primary schools. It is worth noting that we have 3,200 primary schools across Ireland. Over two thirds of those schools have more than 86 pupils and, as a result, have far higher average class sizes than all of the schools affected by this measure. A two-teacher school with 32 pupils, for example, has an average class size of one teacher for 16 pupils. In contrast, a typical ten-teacher school with 272 pupils has an average class size of 27.2 pupils.

It is important to retain a sense of perspective and balance when discussing this matter and to understand that the Department will continue to provide exceptionally favourable supports to small schools. For that reason, as part of the Budget 2012 decisions, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools will be gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. Even when all of these phased increases are implemented, the threshold for small schools will still be significantly lower than the minimum of 28 pupils that was required for the appointment of a second teacher in schools prior to the mid-1990s.

The phasing of these measures can provide the schools concerned with time to consider the potential for amalgamation with other schools where this is feasible. If amalgamations take place, they will be voluntary and follow decisions taken by local communities and not by my Department. My Department will be notifying schools in the coming weeks of the new staffing arrangements for 2012-13 school year.

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