Concern over school places for children

FEARS have been expressed that dozens of Limerick city children, particularly those from disadvantaged areas, could be left without school places next year.

A number of schools have pulled out of a controversial scheme which had to be initiated by the Department of Education last autumn in a bid to prevent a repeat of a situation which left more than 80 Limerick children without a second-level school to go to after they had finished their primary education.

The crisis was averted when then Education Minister Noel Dempsey brought principals together to find places for the remaining children.

It was also decided to set up a placement system, similar to the CAO system for college places, which helped ensure that all 1,545 children who applied for places in Limerick’s second-level schools have been enrolled for the new term in five weeks.

But at a meeting on June 16, a number of the city’s 15 schools announced they were withdrawing from the system, leaving question marks over its integrity and the risk that children could face exclusion in September 2006.

Labour city councillor John Ryan said the system has to have unanimity or else children beginning sixth class in a few weeks will have an uncertain future.

“The situation appears to be in the lap of a few school principals and the Minister for Education should intervene. I think she should legislate to ensure she can compel schools to take students,” he said.

“I have little doubt that these schools are trying to cherry-pick students. All the children almost left without places last year were from socially disadvantaged areas of the city,” said Mr Ryan, a member of the board of management at St Nessan’s Community College in Moylish.

While the Department of Education has expressed concern about the situation in a letter to Limerick schools, neither it nor Education Minister Mary Hanafin has the power to oblige them to accept students if they have adhered to their admissions policies.

The department is awaiting a response from schools trustees before considering how best to address any outstanding issues.

“We will continue to work with the schools and the National Educational Welfare Board to ensure all children requiring post-primary school places in Limerick city are accommodated,” a spokesperson said.

She said an appeals process is in place which allows parents to refer a school’s decision not to enrol their child. But the department stressed that there is sufficient capacity in the city’s second-level schools to meet the needs of all pupils seeking enrolment.

Under the system put in place for first year enrolments this September, all children were asked to submit a list of five second-level schools in order of preference to the Limerick Education Centre. Around 80 pupils were left with no place in the first round of offers in February but they have all been accommodated since then.