Over-worked primary principals ‘want to quit’

MANY primary school principals want to step down because of the growing workload which is forcing some of them to take sick leave.

A survey of 850 Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) members yesterday found that three out of four felt overloaded, some of them seriously so.

Growing numbers are suffering from stress, manifesting itself in exhaustion, migraine, anxiety, difficulty sleeping and other symptoms. Many have been told by their doctors to take leave to protect their health and would step down from the job if they could keep their allowances and pension entitlements.