ASTI: 64% of secondary schools may be forced to drop LC subjects

A new survey shows 64% of second-level schools may have to drop one or more Leaving Cert subjects next year due to budget cuts.

The study, entitled 'Imact of Austerity Measures on second level schools' and carried out for the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) says 47% of schools have already dropped subjects since 2009.

The report also shows that in some cases secondary schools are being forced to combine 5th and 6th year classes due to the fall in teacher numbers.

“The research demonstrates that education cutbacks are affecting all aspects of young people’s education,” said ASTI General Secretary Pat King.

“Young people are attending schools where over the past three years class sizes have increased, subject choice has narrowed, more classes contain higher and ordinary level students together, pastoral care services have been eroded, and out-of-class activities have been curtailed.

"Schools are clearly under stress, but the real losers are the students.”

Mr King said the ASTI is most concerned that subjects such as physics and chemistry are at risk in some schools and that maths classes are becoming more overcrowded.

“Parents need to know that the subject choices that they and their children are taking for granted may not be available very soon and that this will have an impact on young people’s entry to third-level courses and on career choice," he said.

"The Government should be very concerned that the very subjects that are vital to our economic recovery are amongst those most at risk. There can be no smart economy if these subjects don’t thrive.”

The research was carried out by Millward Brown Lansdowne for the ASTI. Some 151 second-level schools participated.