Teacher cutbacks will set schools back three years

THE latest cutbacks in teacher numbers mean the Government has moved back towards the class sizes that existed when a Fianna Fáil coalition made its first promises on the issue six years ago.

When the party committed to have all children under the age of nine in classes of 20 or less after forming a coalition with the Progressive Democrats in 2002, primary schools could appoint a teacher for every 29 pupils.

The first move to reduce class sizes did not come until September 2006, however, when one teacher for every 28 pupils was sanctioned by Education Minister Mary Hanafin. This was reduced further to a 27 to 1 staffing level for the 2007/2008 school year, with schools notified of the changes just before the general election.