Pupils ‘will get school places’

THE 28 Limerick children who still have no second-level school place will all be accommodated, the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) has promised.

Board duties include ensuring every child receives a proper education.

Its officers have been working with the families of 57 children who had no school place when admissions closed earlier this year.

So far, 29 of them have been placed, leaving 28 of the city’s 848 sixth-class pupils still awaiting a school to go to after the summer holidays.

Most of them are boys from socially disadvantaged areas of the northside.

“The board will do its best to ensure that they will receive a second-level education from September,” NEWB chief executive Eddie Ward said.

But a lot of work remains to be done and he called on parents and schools to work together to ensure that all children secure a school place.

“By the end of June, we will know the final number of pupils still without places and we will be making specific arrangements together with the Department of Education and Science to arrange for second-level education for them,” said Mr Ward said.