TUI conference: The Government is not providing enough money for proper physical education (PE) facilities in schools, despite the obesity epidemic, the TUI congress in Dublin heard yesterday.
Lucan Community College teacher Monica Joy said most senior classes were denied the opportunity of PE in her school because they had no facilities.
She said the gym was small and had no mixed facilities, so self-conscious girls were reluctant to tog out in front of the boys.
This particularly applied to overweight girls who got letters from their parents to excuse them from the gym. "And this perpetuates the problem," she said.
Traffic prevented students walking or cycling to school in many areas, so even that daily exercise was denied them.
Lucan was not a deprived area, yet she was "stunned" at the luxurious facilities available in private schools. Ms Joy said she regularly had to bring hockey players to use sports facilities in private schools and they marvelled at the numerous pitches, swimming pools and even golf courses at some of these schools.
Executive committee member Tony Deffley proposed a motion that the TUI should campaign to ensure that all young people had equal access to PE teachers and sports halls and facilities.
He said PE should be the right of all, not just for those chosen few on the sports teams.
Mayo delegate Gerry King said it was "absolutely incredible" that the country was awash with money yet there were no funds for sports facilities. And he questioned the logic of paying rent to local sports facilities for 20 years while being told that the school could not afford its own facility. Daily recommended exercise was not being achieved by many students in one week, he said.
The conference also heard from teachers in Kilkenny City Vocational School who are going on strike next Thursday because of violent student behaviour. Teacher Eileen Moyles said colleagues had been spat at and threatened and had their wallets stolen. Students wandered the school corridors during class, lobbing cans and bottles in classroom doors. Three fires had been started at the school in one week.
Teachers wanted security during class hours, not just at night when students had gone home. "Even the cleaners and caretakers have asked for protection," she said.
TUI president Paddy Healy said the union had been forced to sanction the strike action because of the "immediate and pressing danger" to the health and safety of teachers and students. "I want this settled on Monday," he said.
Delegates also objected to the formation of a committee by the Department of Education to examine unsatisfactory teaching and other issues. The teacher unions only became aware of the Working Group on Compliance and Regulation last week although it is understood to have been set up over a year ago.
