Uimhir:201
Ceist Pharlaiminte
Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list the schools in County Roscommon and County Leitrim which are set to lose a teacher next September due to the revised pupil teacher ratio for rural schools; if he will amend the review process to allow schools which would have retained a teacher
on the pupil teacher ratio in place on 30 September 2011, to retain that teacher for September 2012, in view of the significant changes that will result on foot of the pending school transport changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
– Denis Naughten.
* For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 13th March, 2012.
Reference Number: 14009/12
Freagra
Minister Ruairí Quinn
The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department’s website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The relevant appointment and retention figures for mainstream staffing for the coming school year have been published on the Department’s website. However, the staffing arrangements in schools for the 2012/2013 school year can also be affected by changes in their enrolment, the impact of other
budget measures and the reforms to the teacher allocation process. The reform of the allocation process is designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools so there will inevitably be some schools that will lose posts and some schools that will gain posts.
My Department has expanded the existing appeals process so that it is accessible to the small schools that are losing a classroom post as a result of the budget measure. They won’t lose their classroom post if any of them are projecting increased enrolments in September 2012 that would be sufficient to
allow them to retain their existing classroom posts over the longer term. The detailed arrangements are set out in the Department’s Staffing Circular that is now published on my Department’s website. The closing date for submission of appeals for the April meeting of the Staffing Appeals Board is 23 March, 2012.
The final staffing position for all schools will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed for mainstream classroom teachers and any appeals to the Staffing Appeal Board will have been considered.
In relation to primary school transport, Budget 2012 changes were confined to primary school transport charges. Other changes to the primary scheme commencing this September were announced in Budget 2011 and derive from recommendations in the School Transport Value for Money review. Given the
requirement to obtain savings under the four year national recovery plan there is no scope to review these changes.
Uimhir: 57
Ceist Pharlaiminte
Chun an Aire Oideachais agus Eolaíoctha
To the Minister for Education and Science
To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review Budget 2012 cuts in view of the impact that they will have on staffing in rural primary schools, especially on foot of forthcoming school transport changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
-Denis Naughten.
For ORAL answer
Reference Number: 10036/12, 10018/12
Freagra
Minister Ruairí Quinn
There is no increase in the staffing schedule general average of 28:1 for the allocation of classroom teachers at primary level. However, there is a phased increase in the pupil threshold for the allocation of classroom teachers in small primary schools. As part of the Budget decisions announced, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a teaching post in small primary schools will be gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. The schools concerned are those with four or less classroom teachers. All schools are being treated equally irrespective of the type of patronage.
The phasing of these measures can provide the schools concerned with time to consider the potential for amalgamation with other schools where this is feasible. If amalgamations take place, they will be voluntary and follow decisions taken by local communities and not by my Department.
This Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. They will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. However, this does not mean that small schools can stand still or never have their staffing levels changed to something that is more affordable and sustainable for these difficult and challenging times.
I have already made clear to the House on a number of occasions that school communities should have no reason to feel that there will be a forced closure of their local school. No school closes because it loses a teacher. Schools close because of a loss of pupils. Small primary schools that have had to close in recent years are those that are no longer viable due to falling enrolments. The enrolment in such schools had typically fallen below a total of 8 pupils for two consecutive school years.
My Department has expanded the existing appeals process so that it is accessible to the small schools that are losing a classroom post as a result of the budget measure. They won’t lose their classroom post if any of them are projecting increased enrolments in September 2012 that would be sufficient to allow them to retain their existing classroom posts over the longer term. The detailed arrangements are set out in the Department’s Staffing Circular that is now published on my Department’s website.
In relation to primary school transport, Budget 2012 changes were confined to primary school transport charges. Other changes to the primary scheme commencing this September were announced in Budget 2011 and derive from recommendations in the School Transport Value for Money review. Given the requirement to obtain savings under the four year national recovery plan there is no scope to review these changes.