Primary schools lose 254 teachers [Irish Independent]
- Published: 25 February 2009
Source: Irish Independent
By Katherine Donnelly
Wednesday February 25 2009
PRIMARY schools are reeling today as the full extent of the teacher job cuts planned for next September hits home.
Individual schools have received details of how the decision to increase the pupil-teacher ratio will affect them.
A total of 382 mainstream classroom posts will disappear -- with some schools losing up to four teachers.
Some 128 schools will gain a teacher, leaving a net drop of 254 -- but that figure does not include other losses arising from the education cutbacks.
The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) says the figures bear out their analysis that 1,000 jobs will be gone in September.
INTO general secretary John Carr said that in addition to the mainstream teaching posts being lost, up to 500 English language support teachers were being axed, 128 special classes were set to close and nearly 60 social inclusion posts such as home school co-ordinators are to go.
The Department of Education released details of the staffing allocations yesterday "as a first step at improving the level of information in the public domain about changes for the 2009/10 year".
Last year's Budget abruptly reversed a process of gradually reducing class sizes and, for 2009/10, teachers will be allocated to schools on the same basis as in 2006/07.
The number of mainstream class teachers allowed to a school is determined by reference to its enrolment on the previous September 30.
The department's figures include provision for the allocation of up to 350 "developing posts" in schools that expect significantly increased enrolments, typically in rapidly developing communities.
Projections
The teacher allocations for these schools are based on enrolment projections for September 2009, rather than the September 2008 figure, and the final details are still being worked out.
The department said this and other factors, such as the appeals process, meant that the losses/gains list was "provisional".
Mr Carr said that in addition to the 254 mainstream class teaching posts being lost, dozens more schools would not be unable to appoint teachers because of Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe's decision to increase class size.
The pupil population in primary schools is set to increase by about 11,000 next September and Mr Carr said "the minister's cutbacks will result in serious overcrowding in classes".
While many teachers would be redeployed to other schools the main impact would be widespread unemployment for graduate teachers.
The admission of job losses on this scale in primary schools made a complete mockery of Government promises to protect the vulnerable, he said.
Mr Carr accused the minster of trying to massage bad news by calling the announcement provisional.
"Up to now a minimal number of appeals against staffing decisions have been granted by the department while only a handful of schools will be able to retain posts on a temporary basis pending redeployment."
