Learn no English, speak no English

IT could be a case of “learn no English, speak no English, learn very little else” for students at dozens of schools which will lose more than half of their language support staff.

The Department of Education is reimposing a cap on support for students whose first language is not English. Few schools will feel the effect as much as St Louis Infants National School in Rathmines.

Miriam Mulkerrin, principal of the Dublin school, has 121 children qualifying for language support among the 316 pupils.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe’s move will mean all schools will be limited to just two language support teachers next September. The number at St Louis’ rose to six a year ago in the first step towards a Government commitment for 550 extra such staff in the last social partnership deal.

“This would be a huge body blow to us, we’ve made huge efforts to integrate our international pupils from 37 different countries. The Government talks about keeping the door open to migrants, but this will just bang it shut.

“These children come to us with a different mother tongue and if they don’t get the basics right in English, they will miss out in every other subject too,” she said.

Mr O’Keeffe told the Dáil yesterday that schools with very large numbers of pupils needing language support would receive support but there were no specifics.

There will also be a rise in average class sizes.

The school will not get to bring the class size for first class children below the current figure of 32 as planned because they will not now get the extra teacher they were due next autumn.

Children could also spend a number of days from January in larger groups, if teachers are sick for a day or two, because the Department is suspending payment for substitutes to cover uncertified sick leave.

The INTO warned this will lead to teachers having to take in extra pupils from another class if a colleague has a short-term illness, or else to send children home.

Other changes to payments for substitute teachers at second level have prompted warnings that schools could be forced to drop out of sports activities, cultural programmes and non-academic events to benefit young people.