Primary education - Time to take action on class sizes

IF teachers anticipated any dramatic initiative from Education Minister Mary Hanafin, in response to their long running and, it has to be said, fully justified demands for a significant reduction in class sizes, they were sorely disappointed at yesterday’s INTO conference, in Killarney.

Indeed, the minister could be accused of making something of a political football of this important issue as she made it abundantly clear that primary schools will get no more extra teachers to reduce class size before next year's general election.

Doubtless, she will reject any suggestion of children becoming pawns in the battle for the hearts and minds of the electorate. However, sceptical parents and teachers alike could be forgiven for taking the minister's remarks in that context.

Despite threats from teachers of a major public campaign, including a petition of half a million parents,

Ms Hanafin insisted she could give no more commitments on class size reduction before the summer of 2007.

In an obvious bid to assuage the palpable frustration of INTO leaders, however, she dusted off the six-month old promise that 400 teachers would be provided between next September and September 2007. As she told the conference, "with an election next year, that's all I can commit to do at the moment".

Dangling a political carrot, however, the minister did not rule out additional investment in class size reduction from September 2008 if the Government were returned to power. As she put it, she would "love another run in education I've only had a year and a bit in this job".

With characteristic directness, Ms Hanafin, a former teacher widely regarded as the most popular education minister for years, reminded the 750 delegates that 4,000 extra primary teachers had already been provided by the Government since 2002.

While she made no apology for prioritising children with special needs and those from disadvantaged areas, the fact remains that, despite Ireland's newfound economic wealth, a quarter of all primary school pupils are in classes of 30 children or more. In this day and age, such a teacher-pupil ratio is totally unacceptable.

That sentiment was endorsed by INTO general secretary John Carr who, while acknowledging that pupils with special needs and from disadvantaged homes deserved priority, bluntly reminded the minister of her obligation to address the needs of the other children in the classroom. "They shouldn't have to wait and wait", he said. "When are they going to be looked after, Minister?"

Unfortunately, the minister turned a deaf ear to INTO demands for 200 extra teachers to be provided now in order to reduce class sizes.

With the ASTI and TUI unions also holding conferences this week, Ms Hanafin's agenda ranges across such diverse issues as text bullying, the education of Ireland's growing immigrant population, substandard schools, and behaviour in the classroom a cause of stress among teachers.

In the latter context, while it is essential to uphold the rights of the majority of students, that should not lead to a charter for the expulsion of trouble makers. It was reassuring, therefore, to hear Ms Hanafin say she did not want to make it too easy to expel disruptive students.

At the end of the day, the most pressing demand in the realm of Irish education is for the size of primary classes to be reduced. Ultimately, if the Government is serious about laying the foundation for lifelong learning and encouraging full participation in the knowledge economy, far greater investment and more urgency should be devoted to tackling this vital issue.