Sir, – I was pleased to read Fintan O’Toole’s comment (Opinion, February 19th) that one of the requirements of a good educational service is security for teachers.
Full-time teachers are in a position to advocate for students, and an improved education service, in a way that part-time and insecure teachers are not.
Next September, in further education we face Armageddon. Due to the cut in the pupil- teacher ratio, the loss of the ex- quota position of the guidance counsellor, and the cap on our student numbers, we will lose the equivalent of two full-time teachers (44 hours) in our school (50 teachers across CDVEC). This will mean all our part-time teachers, including some who have been with us for seven or eight years, will lose their hours.
These people have started new courses, been enthusiastic, committed and they are the teachers who should be the future of our school.
Without a change in policy, this disgraceful situation will be repeated in every further education college.
In 1986, I returned from UK and it took me six years working in my present school to obtain a permanent job. It really upsets me almost 30 years later to see this happen to another generation of excellent teachers. – Yours, etc,