IPPN

Published: 04 February 2009

Source: The Kerryman

By: Dónal Nolan

PRIMARY principals in Kerry cannot plan for the immediate future of their schools as they remain completely in the dark as to how the government intend implementing cuts come September next.

One of the greatest concerns among principals in Kerry at present is the lack of hard information at hand to plan for 2009/2010. They say that without any idea of what kind of resources to expect, they are unable to fully plan for the future of our primary pupils.

An increase in the pupilteacher ratio, cuts in English-language support teachers, no uncertified sick-leave cover and the withdrawal of disadvantaged status from some schools were all among the education cuts proposed in October.

While Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe - who addressed the Irish Primary Principals' Network conference in Killarney on Friday - was forced to scale down the sick-leave cover to stop school closures as of January, most other measures remain in place. Principals just don't know how they'll be brought in as yet.

"We're slated to lose three full-time teachers here as our disadvantaged-school status was revoked under the budget," Listowel Presentation Primary Principal, Joan Mulvihill, told The Kerryman. Her school — the biggest primary in North Kerry outside Tralee — has three 'concessionary' posts under this status. However, these will now be axed it is feared, ever before the new pupil/ teacher ratio comes into effect.

"We're hugely worried at the moment as it will reduce our core class-teaching staff from 12 to 9. In a school with 258 pupils we can ill-afford to lose even one teacher and concern is very deep here still. But as we haven't been officially notified of anything yet, we simply can't move on anything," Ms Mulvihill said.

In St Oliver's school in Killarney — one of the ten biggest primaries in the country — up to six teachers could be lost under proposed measures for Englishlanguage support teaching.

Again, however, the school have no idea what to expect. "We have an assurance now that each school will be looked at on an individual basis, but when is this going to happen and what criteria will be used to see who will be retained and who will be lost?" Principal Rory Darcy asked.

The school will not lose teachers to ratio increase in the coming year, given their enrolment (at 637 pupils currently), but stand to lose hugely in English-language support.

"We're in no man's land at present, completely in the dark and my fear is that it will be left to the last minute, either by accident or design, to implement the proposals," Mr Darcy added.

"Everyone realises the country is in a difficult position at the moment, but I think if we're expected to accept the cuts when they are introduced they had better be transparent, equitable and fair at the very least."