Language support system in schools racist, says union

THE State’s language support for foreign national pupils is “racism at its worst”, according to a teachers’ union representative.

Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) assistant general secretary John O’Reilly said that in some urban areas, pupils’ educational needs are not being met.

The Department of Education’s policy is to provide a maximum of two languages support teachers to a school regardless of the number of non-English speaking students. This could be challenged in the courts, the TUI claimed yesterday.

According to the department’s figures, there are now 31,000 “newcomer pupils” in the primary school system and 16,939 in the post primary system. Some 800 language support teachers are employed at primary level and 340 at second level. This costs just over 66 million per annum.

However, in some urban areas, an estimated 60% of pupils are from non-English speaking backgrounds.

Under the current system, one language support teacher is made available for the first 14 international students in a school. This is increased to two when the number reaches 28.

However, this is the maximum, regardless of any further increases.

A survey to be published by the Irish Primary Principals’ Network this week indicates that one-in-five schools is catering for up to 10 nationalities. In 6% of cases, school authorities are struggling to cope with over 11 different languages.

The TUI says it is often difficult to establish if schools are using the allocation of additional teachers to target non-English speaking students.

Instead, there is evidence to suggest some schools are directing the extra teacher resources into important exam subject areas.

The principal of one Dublin school, which has 387 international children, has described as “totally inadequate” the provision of three temporary language support teachers to the school.

Principal of Scoil An Chroí Ró Naofa Íosa John Lynch said teachers are becoming increasingly frustrated as much of their time is now dedicated to dealing with situations arising from children’s language difficulties.

Although appreciative of the Minister for Education’s attempts to address the issues emanating from language difficulties, the president of the TUI, Tim O’Meara, said a “mere audit” falls far short of what is urgently required.

“At present a maximum of two additional teachers is available to a school, regardless of the number of non-national students. This is self evidently unsatisfactory,” he said. “There is no standardised test customised for Irish schools to ascertain the level of English which the student has attained.”

The TUI has recommended that an additional teacher be made available for every 28 international students enrolled in schools.