Up to half of school principals could quit job, survey finds

Close to half of all primary school principals could leave the job in the short or medium term, a survey has found.

The Irish Primary Principals’ Network has warned of the serious repercussions that could follow for schools if the findings of their study among more than 800 principals and deputy principals were to take effect.

Close to one-in-10 of the country’s 3,300 primary schools will have a new principal this year, and around two-thirds of those in the job must teach as well as manage their school, a dual role whose viability the Economic and Social Research Institute flagged concerns about in 2011.