IPPN

Published: 03 November 2008

Source : Irish Independent (Letters)

Edward Walsh made several excellent points in his article on education (Irish Independent, October 31). As he said, research shows that the quality of a nation's teachers is the most important factor in the education of its children.

This does not render class size negligible, particularly in the education of young children.

Mr Walsh was correct in stating that the student- teacher ratio in South Korea (as well as in Singapore and in Japan) is higher than in Ireland.

It must be noted that in each of the top five countries that he mentioned (Canada, Finland, Japan, Singapore and South Korea) this class size ratio applies only to children aged six and above. I know from several years' experience as a teacher at infant level that class size does matter for our younger children.

With younger classes in large numbers, the students' experience of the whole curriculum is greatly compromised.

Perhaps the Government might offer a compromise to their increase in class size: an increase for first through to sixth classes of one (bringing the class size to 28), but a decrease for infant classes of one (bringing the class size to 26).

Mr Walsh makes another very interesting point about the scholastic achievement in the six countries he mentions. He states: "In the best school systems special attention is given to those students who may be falling behind." Why has this Government done so very little to help those students who are falling behind?

Why is there no learning support provisioned at infant level? Why is there a meagre provision of one or two learning support teachers per school? Why is the Government cutting the number of language support teachers from six to two in its neediest schools?

We should be increasing these provisions to keep Ireland competitive with other OECD countries.

The final point that Mr Walsh makes is in relation to teachers' salaries. As a teacher, I agree with him wholeheartedly.

Most of the teachers I know could afford a 10pc pay cut for the next two years. As a teacher, I would rather see my salary cut a little than my students' education compromised even more than it has already been.

MEREDITH DEEGAN

SWORDS, CO DUBLIN