Primary teachers face up to more cuts [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 26 April 2011
MORE schools programmes must be cut or reduced if increases in class sizes are to be avoided, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has told primary teachers.
Despite praising them for being one of the first public service unions signed up to the Croke Park agreement last year, the minister told the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) members he wants to start talks with their leaders within weeks on ways to find further savings.
Under the four-year national recovery plan, such savings must be identified to counteract the increased teacher requirements to match rising pupil numbers, or else school staffing levels will have to be reduced next year like they were in 2009.
He admitted afterwards that he does not know where the savings can be found. But, he said, it will be up to unions and school managers to go through every programme with his officials.
"We will have to justify whether each programme should continue and ask if the circumstances under which it was brought into existence in the first place still exist," he said.
Mr Quinn said INTO has had a very positive and constructive approach to the Croke Park agreement and it is vital that its implementation must be real and meaningful on the ground.
"It must be clearly visible to pupils and parents and the wider public and it must bring real value to our education system," Mr Quinn said.
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