National School rules - High time to overhaul rule book

ANTEDILUVIAN is an apt description for the rules governing national schools around the country.

In a classic Catch 22 scenario, for example, the Minister for Education must be satisfied that a school is suitable, in good repair, adequately furnished and provided with satisfactory sanitary accommodation to warrant grant aid. On that lofty principle, many neglected schools would never qualify for aid.

In the rule book’s idealised world, classroom accommodation is ‘normally’ based on an allowance of 15 square feet per pupil. That will send guffaws through overcrowded schools.