ALMOST 300 teenage students at a school in Tánaiste Mary Coughlan's constituency are writing to her to describe how education cutbacks will affect them.
Foreign pupils at St Catherine's Vocational School, Killybegs, whose English support is being withdrawn, are writing in their own languages. The protest is part of a campaign launched on Thursday when more than 100 parents and teachers held a meeting to voice outrage. Parents, teachers and pupils from the school are set to travel to Dublin next week to join a national education protest.
They are furious over cutbacks that include abolition of substitution teacher cover, fewer teachers and an end to school-book grants.
Teacher Siobhán Galvin said: "The increased annual charges for students - up to €300 from €168 for juniors and to €300 from €234 for seniors - are incredible. There will be terrible financial pressures on families."
