‘Powers that be’ not playing ball with teachers, warns Niall Moran
The Limerick school today contest the Croke Cup decider against reigning champions St Kieran’s College, Kilkenny, and the scheduling of the game “smack bang in the middle of the Easter Holidays”, according to Moran, highlights the blatant lack of recognition for teachers who involve themselves in extra-curricular activities.
Under the Croke Park Agreement, teachers must log 33 hours of additional non-class contact each academic year. Moran estimates that he, along with the other teachers involved, spend a minimum of 10 hours a week looking after the Ardscoil Rís hurlers. Not a single minute of this time, however, can be put against the 33-hour Croke Park requirement.
Today’s hurling final is one of eight high-profile schools games that will take place over the course of the two-week Easter break, further amplifying Moran’s argument that there is no appreciation of, or reward for, teachers serving on the sideline.
“There is no acknowledgement of the work being put in by teachers,” he asserts.
“The feeling on the ground amongst the majority of sports teachers throughout the country is that, at some stage, with poor pay conditions and longer working hours, that there needs to be an acknowledgement by the powers that be to really highlight and reward the time that is given by teachers.
“The argument will be made in response to such comments that it is extra-curricular and is on a voluntary basis, but I think it would be remiss of anybody to say that schools would be the same place without that sporting involvement of teachers. It is huge to the school’s spirit and for any of the lads out of any school, the days that will always be remembered are the days spent on the sporting field, irrespective of the sport.
“In a lot of cases, teachers can be giving from 15 up to 20 hours a week with a team, which is nearly on par with teaching hours. If a young lad gets a belt during a game, he might need to be taken to hospital. Teachers will take students to the hospital and this could be on a Saturday or Sunday. It is a situation that needs to be addressed.
“Most teachers are plotting and planning before students ever return to school. Most senior teams, be it football, hurling, or rugby, will train three times a week. That is outside of planning, organising, and matches. Teachers don’t have liaison officers or the back-up that your average club or county team might have. Your teacher will be the physio, will be the trainer, will be the liaison officer and will be the one paying the referee. He is a one-stop shop. Teachers don’t have any problem doing that. Teachers enjoy being involved.
“But when it is not being recognised by the powers that be, people will get frustrated and there will come a time when people will pull away and they will be well within their rights to do so.”
Moran says there is an argument to be made that the GAA make a representation on behalf of teachers to the Department of Education, for the present arrangement is in no way sustainable.
“We have gone into a St Colman’s, Fermoy, dressing room, a Kilkenny CBS dressing room, an Athenry dressing room, a Templemore dressing room; these teachers were devastated,” says Moran.
“That reflects the amount of time and energy they put into it.
“The frustration does arise when you find yourself in a school doing a full day of Croke Park hours that are not productive, they are a box-ticking exercise more than anything else. Common sense needs to prevail,” he says.
“The Minster for Education and her department need to realise that this is what is going on on the ground. Sport does have a knock-on impact on developing kids holistically, mentally and physically. The two big issues today are obesity and depression. Sport is seen as a help in alleviating those. There needs to be greater recognition and reward for the work being done.”
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