School crux to cause ‘survival of the fittest’

Children of a city primary school face a ‘September of chaos’, and their parents face a ‘Summer of uncertainty’, if the impasse over plans to amalgamate two classes isn’t resolved, a city councillor has said.

Sinn Féin’s Mark Lohan called on Government to allocate an extra teacher to Scoil Bhríde in Menlo in order to avoid an “unacceptable” amalgamation of fifth and sixth class for 2018/2019.

In last week’s Galway City Tribune, parents of children in the school blasted as “absolutely ridiculous” the suggestion that they each should pay €550 to fund an extra teacher.

They expressed shock and outrage that the amalgamation from next term would result in 41 pupils having just one teacher between them. And the school only informed them of the move two days before the school term ended in June.

Cllr Lohan has backed the parents. “The request for parents to fund a teacher by paying the school a €550 fee is both unreasonable and inappropriate. It is wrong on all fronts for parents to fund a teacher’s salary.

“Having 41 children in a multi-grade class is a retrograde step and is reminiscent of the enormous classes of a bygone era in the 60s and 70s. Fifth and Sixth class are particularly formative years for our children as they prepare for post primary education. These years will determine not only their academic future but their ability to lead productive and independent lives.

“Our children deserve the best opportunity to develop their full potential and obstacles should not be put in their way. Survival of the fittest should not be the standard for the pupils of fifth and sixth class in Scoil Bhríde, Menlo,” he said.

Cllr Lohan said the status of Scoil Bhríde as a Scoil sa Ghaeltacht has had no bearing on this current crisis. In fact, it is a direct result of this status that the school benefits from preferential appointment and retention figures for pupil teacher ratio.

He added a solution needs to be found before September. “An appeals mechanism is available to secure an extra teacher and the school must, as a matter of urgency, initiate this process. The EU average for class size is 20 pupils per teacher. Government has to address this short-coming and make a reduction in class size a priority,” said Cllr Lohan.

Liam Ferrie, chairperson of the Board of Management of the school, pointed out that prior to 2012, like most other rural schools, Scoil Bhríde had split classes for every level and two or more levels were being taught together by the same teacher in the same classroom.

“This is a common necessity in a smaller school where pupil numbers do not allow for separate classes at all levels,” he said.

He said the “real news story” was a “good news” for Scoil Bhríde because it has enjoyed increased enrolment in its junior infant classes since 2012, which has led to full classes for junior infants each year and subsequent years as those students have progressed in the school.

Mr Ferrie added: “It is the case however that the student numbers for the fifth and sixth class 2018/2019 are such that the allocation of another teacher is not permitted under Department of Education and Skills rules. The Department has rigid rules in relation to the allocation of teachers. Therefore, it would not be possible to avoid a ‘split class’ for 5th/6th class other than by employing a teacher out of the Board of Management resources, which is not permissible.

“With regard to an alleged request made of parents, neither school management nor the Board of Management has requested that the parents of students pay and/or contribute to payment of a teacher. It is the case that proposals were discussed at a meeting between management and a number of parents, however, it is not the case that any request was made of parents to contribute to payment of a teacher.”

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