Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

142. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a review of teaching time in second level schools is to be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2347/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The vast majority of schools meet the minimum requirement of 28 hours instruction time per week to second level students. In fact more than one third of schools provide more than that. However, I am aware that inspections have shown that a minority of schools are not meeting the minimum requirement.My Department is planning a detailed analysis of the instruction time at schools. This will involve specific assessment of practice across schools of different types and sizes. The analysis will look at the needs of students and objectives that schools are trying to meet when they deviate from the standard 28 hours or identify the factors that give rise to deviation from the standard. The research work will relate to the decisions schools make when deciding how to use the aggregate teaching hours available from the schools allocation.

The outcome of this work will help determine future policy.