IPPN

Published: 12 August 2011

THERE is a proverb about teaching that says: "A good teacher is like a candle — it consumes itself to light the way for others."

Unfortunately, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn seems to think that teachers burning the candle at both ends will help solve the department’s budget problems. After cutting language support teachers, special needs assistants, and quietly moving towards the non-replacement of home/school liaison teachers, Mr Quinn has warned of another increase in class sizes.

In response to Niall Murray’s August 5 article ("Teachers angered by threat of increased class sizes") it is no surprise that teacher unions have expressed their displeasure at another Department of Education and Skills proposal, which would reduce student supports further. Past governments have been slowly increasing teacher-pupil ratios for years, while countries with much higher international educational attainment rankings, such as Scotland and Canada, actively seek to reduce class sizes. Research tells us there are a multitude of factors that influence teaching effectiveness, including teacher professional development, experience, and class size. The issue now is not that Mr Quinn is seeking to add one more child to classrooms that are already overburdened, but that the overall number has continued to creep up unnoticed over the years, and may now be near breaking point.