350 fewer resource teachers

SCHOOLS have 350 fewer teachers to help rising numbers of students with learning difficulties than before the summer holidays.

The Department of Education has imposed a cap on the number of resource teachers who can be appointed at 9,960, and 9,856 were working in schools last April.

This included more than 5,300 whose appointment was sanctioned by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). Its approval is needed for teaching supports for primary pupils with more serious learning difficulties and for all second level students who need extra teaching.

But the number is now back to around 5,000 after the department told the NCSE in April to withhold 10% of resource teaching hours recommended for such students, in order to facilitate late applications up to a September 16 deadline and stay within the limit.

Around 4,500 other posts are also being paid for, mostly under a scheme that allocates resource teachers to all primary schools for children with more common learning difficulties such as dyslexia, based on overall pupil numbers.

This brings the total to 9,500 and leaves scope for up to 460 more resource teachers to be appointed up to the end of the year. But it is unclear if any of their time will be allocated to pupils who have had resource teaching hours withheld.

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has promised that any posts still available after late applications are finalised will be allocated to those children’s schools but it is unclear if or when that will happen.

The NCSE said last night it is considering new applications for additional resource teaching support received up to September 16.

“In conjunction with the Department of Education, consideration will be given as to whether there is potential to revise the 90% allocation previously given to schools in May and also the extent to which new resource teaching allocations can be made, taking into account the number of valid new applications received.”

But with a further 475 special needs assistant posts also yet to be filled, the Irish National Teachers Organisation called for applications to be processed as soon as possible. “Hundreds of schools have submitted applications for thousands of pupils who are now enrolled in schools and waiting for a decision. They relate to new entrants to schools or pupils recently assessed as having a special educational need.”