Teachers’ union calls for special needs action

TEACHERS’ representatives yesterday called for the cabinet to set up a special committee to ring-fence funds for special needs as well as immigrant pupils.

A “higher” commitment, beyond Education Minister Mary Hanafin, was needed to address concerns, said the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI).

Resources for special needs, international pupils, class sizes, as well as indiscipline in classes will top the agenda at an annual ASTI convention this month.

Union president Patricia Wroe said teachers were “sick to death” of money being poured into pilot projects.

The consequences of not supporting holistic education would be felt for years to come, she warned.

In a strategy document ahead of its convention in Killarney, the ASTI laid out priority areas for secondary level education.

Education Minister Mary Hanafin, however, defended support for international students yesterday, saying there were more than 2,000 language teachers in schools. The Government had “committed heavily” to the issue, she told RTÉ.

No call for strike action is expected at the ASTI conference but teachers are near breaking point because of increased pressure, says the trade union.

The ASTI convention will focus on equality in schools.

Ms Wroe yesterday said schools that promoted the grouping of special needs or students from low socio-economic backgrounds were promoting a “policy of ghettoisation”.

Experiences in many schools were that newcomer students or immigrant pupils were arriving “mute” into classes.

“There is no assessment to see what they require or where they are in education,” the ASTI chief said.

The conference on March 25 and 26 will also be addressed by Ms Hanafin.