ALMOST half of second-level schools are forced to ask for handouts from charity organisations including St Vincent de Paul to help less well-off students because they are so poorly funded, research has found.

THE burden of paperwork and bureaucracy placed on school principals by new laws will be removed to allow them to work more closely with students, Education Minister Mary Hanafin promised yesterday.

ASTI general secretary Charlie Lennon said teachers' campaign for a pay rise "will end when the Minister makes us an offer that we can’t refuse".