Schools: a lot done, much more to do
A few weeks ago, she released the list of schools which will be invited to get involved in “local planning and construction”, whereby school communities see to the completion of their individual projects.
By any measure, these announcements, coupled with those of Noel Dempsey, the minister’s predecessor, for school year 2003/2004 are a great improvement.
That the five-year building plan is now a six-year plan, running to 2010, is indicative of the sincerity of the present minister and Government in tackling this problem.
It is also indicative of the neglect this sector of our population, mainly pupils and their teachers, have had to suffer for many years.
Regardless of the good news, and the basic rights of school communities being met, there are still dozens of schools which cannot get off the ground because they either don’t have a site to develop for or because certain schools cannot, for whatever reason, gain access to the Department of Education building list.
We call on the Government to purchase much needed sites and to open up the building list to all needy schools.
Recently we learned that 40% of schools in the South-West lack yard space and PE facilities, leading to a ban on running in their limited play spaces. We read of the increase in child obesity which must be linked in some way to the lack of space and PE facilities in our schools.
The six-year plan is an improvement. Many school communities are seeing their needs met. Many more are not. Many can’t even get on the first rung of the building ladder due to lack of sites or failure to gain access to the department’s building list.
We advise those schools which have not yet got any good news to be persistent and to contact us for advice, support and assistance. We are committed to the provision of the basic rights of accommodation, facilities, health and safety for all primary school pupils.
Richie Cotter
Chairman
Tuismitheóirí/Teagascóirí Chéile
c/o Saint Anne’s National School
Stonebridge Road
Shankill
Co Dublin
