PRESSURE ON the Government to reverse a series of budget education cutbacks is building as teachers and school managers warn of school closures from January. Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe is expected today to rule out any U-turn on the budget cut at a scheduled press conference in China, where he is on a Government trade mission.
Privately however, teacher unions appear increasingly confident that the Government will – sooner or later – open negotiations.These will focus on the two budget changes which have been the focus of most anger – the increase in class sizes and changes in teacher substitution cover.
A spokesman for the Minister gave no hint of any compromise. “We are looking for the co-operation of all the stakeholders in education at this challenging time for our economy.”
Parents, school managers and teacher unions will launch a joint campaign on Friday to reverse the cuts. Teacher unions and school managers told senior Department of Education officials yesterday that the budget changes were unworkable at the regular meeting of the Education Conciliation Council. No move to resolve the growing crisis over the education cuts is expected until after Mr O’Keeffe returns from China this weekend.
INTO general secretary John Carr said another Government U-turn was needed. According to the union, the decision to increase class sizes would see nine out of every 10 primary pupils in the country in classes of 20 or more.
“Next year there will 450,000 primary children in classes of 20 or more and over 100,000 in classes of over 30 pupils.”
In other reaction, the group representing the management of almost 400 second-level schools said the budget move to eliminate substitution cover in secondary schools – where teachers are on uncertified sick leave or on official school business – was unacceptable and unworkable.
Ferdia Kelly, general secretary of the Joint Managerial Body (JMB) said: “Our members are furious and outraged that the department would contemplate making schools unmanageable by creating a serious health and safety risk. Boards of management and school management will not be able to stand over this risk. Should this proposal go ahead, schools will not be in a position to open in January on health and safety grounds.
“The JMB is very concerned that schools would have to consider closing in January as a result of this proposal,” Mr Kelly continued. “It seems to the JMB that there will be no alternative for school management. Principals are not in a position to look after classes where no teacher is available to act as a substitute in a class for an absent colleague.”
Michael Moriarty of the Irish Vocational Education Association, representing vocational school managers, said educational programmes for the disadvantaged would bear the brunt of the cutbacks.
Programmes such as Back to Education, literacy programmes and adult education would be most affected. “I am concerned that these voiceless students are being forgotten in the recent controversy over the general education cutbacks.”
