Teachers demand action on class sizes

TEACHERS are demanding to meet with Taoiseach Bertie Ahern after accusing the Government of failing to reduce class sizes despite an election pledge to tackle the problem.

At the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) annual congress in Galway last night, general secretary John Carr gave the Government a stark warning that the union would campaign for a significant reduction in class sizes in all schools.

The Programme for Government promised to reduce average class sizes for children under nine to 20 pupils, but the average remains at just over 24. The EU average is 20.

Mr Carr demanded that every pupil in the country be taught in a class of no more than 25, which would require up to 800 extra teaching posts.

“It is a major disappointment that, after three years in office, the Government has not moved to reduce class sizes,” he said, and told Education Minister Mary Hanafin: “Don’t come back to our congress next year without doing so.”

At her first teachers’ conference, Ms Hanafin announced an extra €40 million to help poorer children. However, the announcement angered teachers who said the funding was not enough.

“We are committed to reaching our goals on class size but special needs and disadvantage come first,” she added.

The full plan to add an extra €40m a year to the current €130m annual budget and provide 300 posts up to post-primary level, is to be unveiled next month.

Fine Gael education spokesperson Olwyn Enright said the proposals will do little to address the critical issue of class size.

“Perhaps, the minister has conceded that the Government will not meet its own target of 20 or fewer pupils before the next election,” she said.

Professor Áine Hyland, who chairs the Government’s educational disadvantage committee, gave a guarded welcome to the funding. “The sooner it is delivered on the ground, the better,” she said.