Review of school principals’ workload urged

A review of the workload that has brought thousands of primary school principals to breaking point is urgently needed, their union claims.

The mountain of paperwork needed for every hour of special needs teaching or care, increased focus on literacy and numeracy, and a range of other initiatives are just some factors behind the pressures that the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation says are making a Government review necessary.

The principals of around two thirds of the country’s 3,300 primary schools are full-time teachers as well as being in charge of day-to-day management.