Fears over merger of education bodies

CONCERNS have been raised by teachers and principals about the integration of a number of education agencies working with disadvantaged children into the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB).

The Department of Education insisted last night that the combined 750-plus staff of the NEWB, which has just over 100 employees, the Home School Community Liaison service, the School Completion Programme and the Visiting Teachers Service for Travellers, would be retained under the expanded welfare board.

Announcing the plans yesterday, Minister of State Sean Haughey said the aim was to build structures to facilitate closer integration of services at local, regional and national level, and to increase effectiveness.

But the Irish Primary Principals’ Network questioned the timing of the merger. “The NEWB has created a far greater amount of paperwork for schools, expecting us to report every child who misses more than 20 days of class a year, but they are only able to intervene in cases of 50 or 60 days missed,” said its director Sean Cottrell.

It is understood the decision by the Department of Education was not notified before yesterday to the welfare board itself, although a board spokesperson could not comment on the merger last night except to say the “significant announcement” will be considered.

Annette Dolan, general secretary of the TUI, which represents some of the staff, expressed concern that there might be a significant tension between the existing role of the board and the remit of the services it is proposed to integrate into it.