Hanafin unable to provide staff to reduce class sizes

PARENTS could be waiting at least two more years before the Government meets its broken promise to reduce primary class sizes because of uncertain economic circumstances.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin was unable to make a commitment yesterday about when she can start providing the extra staff to the country’s 3,300 primary schools. But she said her department could only provide enough extra teachers next year to maintain current class sizes for the estimated 13,000 pupils expected to begin school next September.

The minister said it was made clear when the Programme for Government was published that the commitments being made were dependent on particular economic growth, but that the outlook had taken a turn since then.

“Of course it would have been nice to meet all the Programme for Government commitments in the first year but we would envisage doing it over the lifetime of the Government,” said Ms Hanafin.

However, she was also unable to commit to begin adding primary teachers to reduce class size in September 2009 either. The minister said the planned expansion of teacher training places would mean the adequate numbers would be available and the issue will remain a major priority.

It also remains unclear if the Department of Education will have enough space in schools for the extra pupils next autumn, despite a €95 million increase in the primary building budget.

In order to focus on large-scale projects and extensions, the successful Summer Works Scheme is being discontinued and €30m less will be spent on second level school buildings in 2008.

Ms Hanafin said projects beginning construction next year and in early 2009 will lead to an extra 12,000 places, but no commitment was made on being able to accommodate the 13,000 additional primary pupils expected next September.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) last night questioned whether the Government ever intended meeting class size and school funding promises.

Ms Hanafin announced day-to-day funding increases of around 7% for primary schools, giving a 300-pupil school an extra €6,300 a year, but the Programme for Government promised to double this funding in five years.

INTO general secretary John Carr said primary schools will be in a worse financial position after the budget because the increases will not match rising costs.

“The pupils of the country have been blatantly betrayed by this government,” he said.

Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland general secretary John White said the €15 extra to second level schools for every student will not even match the inflation rate of 4.8%.

“Schools must continue to struggle to meet day-to-day running costs such as electricity, heating and insurance. Despite the Government’s cautionary budget, we’re a wealthy country but our investment in schools does not reflect this,” he said.

The additional funding given to religious-run second level schools only goes one quarter of the way to bridging the gap they experience against vocational, community and comprehensive schools, which have costs like insurance, secretarial support and caretaking covered separately by the State. The Programme for Government promised to complete this equalisation process within two years.