Principals back fixed-term contracts

Principals should be allowed return to full-time teaching after a set number of years, most primary school leaders believe, as workload and stress are forcing them to retire early.

Although opinion is fairly evenly divided, 56% of Irish Primary Principals Network members surveyed believe appointments should be on a fixed-term contract. A seven-year post was suggested as an example.

The principals of around two-thirds of the country’s 3,300 primary schools double as class teachers but are allowed a set number of non-teaching days each year for administration duties.

Just 1.7% of more than 400 principals said they were availing of the end of February deadline for early retirements, suggesting less than 60 schools will be affected. Public servants who retire early up to the end of next month will be allowed pension entitlements based on their salaries before pay cuts imposed last year.

Almost 800 (almost 3%) of the country’s 30,000 primary teachers will have retired between December and the end of February, with 520 due to leave next month.

Around one-third of principals, who told IPPN they plan to retire in the next few years, will be doing so before normal retirement age. The vast majority said: “I’ve just had enough.”

The survey shows strong support for Education Minister Ruairi Quinn’s literacy and numeracy strategy, requiring schools to focus more on developing children’s skills in this area. More than three-quarters said time should be taken from some other subjects to support the strategy.

IPPN president Gerry Murphy told the organisation’s annual conference last night that recent evaluations have shown the benefits to pupils’ reading and maths skills from the department’s DEIS programme for schools in disadvantaged areas. But, he said, this highlights the need to maintain supports at current levels.

Mr Quinn will address the conference today.