Guidance advice and subject diversity hit by under-staffing

Teachers are being forced to mix classes from different years together, withdraw provision of vital Leaving Certificate subjects, and remove guidance counselling services because of chronic under-staffing.

A Millward Brown survey conducted on behalf of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland revealed the findings, with the union warning that the hidden cuts are severelyimpacting on the pupil-teacher relationship.

According to the survey, 98% of second-level schools have lost an average of two full-time teachers since 2009, meaning that classes and different years are having to be mixed together to fill the gaps.

In addition, one in every three second-level schools have lost specialist English-language support provisions used to help migrant children with poor English-language skills adapt to this country.

A further 38% of schools have been forced to withdraw provision of at least one Leaving Certificate subject due to the cutbacks, with accounting, physics, economics, and chemistry among the worst affected.

Despite concerns being increasingly raised about the mental health of young people growing up in a recession, almost four out of five schools have cut back on one-to-one guidance counselling.

“At a time when schools should be gaining teachers to accommodate the rising number of students entering second-level education, Irish schools are actually losing teachers,” said ASTI general secretary Pat King.

“The Government should be very concerned subjects that are vital to our economic recovery are dropping off school timetables as a result.”

Among the other concerns raised by the wide-reaching survey are that three out of every five school principals believe that the Government-imposed jobs freeze on middle management posts is damaging pupils.

The report also found that almost half of schools surveyed have “little or no” capacity to prepare and plan properly for the Junior Certificate changes due to come on-stream next year.

“Second level schools are reeling from the impact of the cutbacks and are overwhelmed by the amount of recent and current reform initiatives,” said Mr King.

“The research clearly demonstrates education cutbacks are affecting all aspects of young people’s education.”

* Read the survey online by going to www.asti.ie