IPPN

The Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) calls upon the INTO to give urgent attention to principals' issues at the union's annual congress in Bundoran this week.

Last Thursday, executive members of IPPN met with the INTO leadership to appeal that the union give priority to the crisis facing principals of the country's 3,300 primary schools. At this meeting, IPPN was assured by the INTO of their commitment to address this issue both during and subsequent to its annual congress which takes place this week.

The main causes of this crisis are:

• Constant increases in principals' workload with every new education initiative and policy development
  
• Legislation which has radically changed the nature of the principal's role with more and more responsibilities and functions devolved from the DES & Boards of Management to school principals
  
• Inadequate secretarial and caretaking support in schools
  
• A grossly inadequate salary which fails to reflect a principal's level of responsibility and workload

This crisis has lead to:

• A rapid rise in the number of principals seeking early retirement or "stepping down" to a teaching role, due to high levels of stress, burn-out and other related health problems
  
• A dramatic fall in the number of teachers applying for the post of principal - the average number of applicants per vacant principal's post in 1996 was 5.9, in 2002 the average no. of applicants has fallen to 2.9
  
• A deep concern from teaching principals (75% of all principals) about the educational impact on their pupils, due to the simultaneous time demands arising from the dual role of principal and class teacher (Report on The Role of Primary Principal in Ireland by HayGroup Management Consultants 2003)
  
• Frustration, disillusionment and falling morale as remuneration for primary principals' was negatively affected, in relative terms, by the Benchmarking process

IPPN, in its capacity as a professional body for school leaders, urges the INTO to give immediate priority to the above issues in order to prevent an emerging crisis of leadership in our primary schools.

ENDS

Further information from: Seán Cottrell, 086 647 8717