PARENTS CONCERNED about new pupil-teacher ratios affecting the viability of small schools are voicing their concerns in Galway today.
Families in Clare, Offaly and Westmeath have been invited to joint counterparts from across the west who are opposed to the ratio changes implemented by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn.
They will demonstrate their support for the Irish National Teachers Organisation’s (INTO) stance on the issue at a union consultative conference in a Galway hotel this morning.
Liz Mulry, principal of a three-teacher school in Ahascragh, Co Galway, said it was one of a series of actions, which included a public meeting in Ballinasloe last night.
Parents participated in a protest on the issue yesterday at Scoil Mhuire, a Gaeltacht primary school in An Tuairín, south Connemara, while up to 500 people attended a meeting on the issue earlier this week in Dunmanway, Co Cork.
Ms Mulry says the pupil-teacher ratio changes initiated in the budget for one, two, three and four-teacher schools threaten the viability of rural and non-Catholic schools as both tend to be smaller.
“If this ratio was being implemented in schools in Ballsbridge or Drumcondra, the Government would not get away with it,” Ms Mulry said.
“Under the new, revised figures announced by the Minister we are set to lose a teacher the year after next even though we had more than enough pupils for three teachers on last September’s figures.”
Ms Mulry added: “Everyone knows we have to make cuts, but I would appeal to Mr Quinn to ask the principals for suggestions as to how to do same without affecting pupils.”
