IPPN

28th January 2010 Education Cuts are an attack on Children’s Rights

Last Updated: Thursday, 28 January 2010 12:15

Ireland's school-going children are the suffering as a result of the continued withdrawal of funding and supports from primary schools. In particular, the reduction in the number of language support teachers and Special Needs Assistants providing supports to needy children has impacted on the entire school community, stated Pat Goff, President of the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN), in his address to 1,000 primary school leaders at the annual IPPN Conference at Citywest Convention Centre, Dublin today, Thursday 28th January.

'Schools are lean and efficient organisations', stated Mr Goff, but he warned that middle management teams in most schools face meltdown due to a moratorium on promotions and the failure of the Department of Education and Science to sign off on much needed reforms. 'I am the third successive President of IPPN to call for the publication of the new circular on in-school management. If the Department wait long enough, there won't be an in-school management team left in any school', declared Mr Goff. Mr Goff also accused the Department of 'taking the easy option' by disbanding teacher supply panels and thus placing intolerable pressure on the Teaching Principal.

The income of a Primary Principal has been cut by one fifth as a result of budget measures and the non payment of benchmarking. 'Everyone has paid a price for the recklessness of a few but unfortunately we Principals have paid the highest price', he continued. Mr Goff issued a rebuke to government in relation to the reasons given for singling out senior civil servants in the reversal of pay reductions when he stated, 'Senior Civil Servants are not being paid for overtime. I have news for government - Principals don't have a bonus scheme to scrap and are not paid for overtime either'.

ENDS