Schools with principal teachers ‘lose out’

UP to 50,000 primary school pupils are at a disadvantage because their teacher is also burdened with the duties of principal, it was claimed last night.

Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) president Tomás Ó Slatara said the country’s 2,500 teaching principals have to dedicate at least half an hour a day to administrative duties.

“If you add up all the hours and minutes’ teaching lost in the classes of teaching principals, you get a startling picture. The loss of a half hour per day teaching time could accumulate over the full school year to as much as 20 school days,” he said.