Warning as 20% of primary pupils in classes of 30-plus

ALMOST one-in-five primary pupils were still in classes of 30 children or more last year, but teachers have warned this could rise significantly if the Government adopts An Bord Snip Nua’s proposals.

Figures for the last school year show that just under 93,000 of the country’s 482,593 primary pupils – or 19.3%, similar to the previous year – were in classes of 30 or more at the end of September 2008. This figure includes 5,338 who were being taught with at least 34 other pupils and four classes in which there were more than 40 children.

Two of these were in one school, Scoil Náisiúnta Naomh Mhuire in Saggart, Co Dublin, which had two classes with 90 pupils between them. The others, which both had one class with 41 pupils, were at Four Masters National School in Kinlough, Co Leitrim, and Scoil Náisiúnta Cillmin, Clonakilty, Co Cork.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) said many schools with very high class sizes were granted additional staffing later in the school year. But hundreds of schools have fewer classroom teachers as they return to class this autumn, because of a budget cut raising the number of pupils needed to appoint a primary teacher from 27 to 28.

“The overall figures clearly show the problem of overcrowded classes in Irish primary schools. Nearly 100,000 pupils remain in classes of 30 or more, despite promises made almost a decade ago to reduce class sizes for the under-nines to less than 20,” said INTO incoming general secretary, Sheila Nunan.

“These figures are set to get worse as the effects of last October’s budget cuts impact on schools this year. There is widespread agreement that younger children do not do as well in overcrowded classes,” she said.

Ms Nunan said that when class numbers are reasonable, modern teaching methods are possible and there is more teacher time for children.

“The figures show clearly that there is no room for further increases in class sizes as proposed in the McCarthy report,” she said.

The Bord Snip report on public service spending in July, chaired by economist Colm McCarthy, recommended the staffing schedule be further raised to one teacher for every 29 pupils.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe’s spokesman could not rule in or out whether the proposal would be adopted, as it would have to be considered by Government with the other recommendations. He said 7,000 extra primary teachers had been provided since 2002, partly to reduce class sizes.

“A number of respected educationalists have produced studies saying that the quality of the teacher is more important in determining educational outcomes than the size of the class,” he said.

lThe range of class sizes in each of the country’s 3,180 primary schools can be viewed in the statistics section at www.education.ie