Time to value school secretaries

Sir, – I welcome Leo Varadkar's recent acknowledgment of the importance of the role of school secretaries ("Role of school secretaries as important as teachers ,and school principals, says -Tánaiste", News, October 9th).

With the greatest respect to all teachers, of whom I am one, a school would cease to function properly if the school secretary were absent. School leaders have been rightly commended for their role in preparing schools to reopen . Throughout the summer months, when many are unpaid, the school secretaries were working quietly and efficiently. It is my hope that Mr Varadkar’s words are matched with swift action in ensuring that all school secretaries are placed on an incremental and pensionable pay-scale and that they are paid directly by the Department of Education. This revision in pay should reflect the Tánaiste’s acknowledgment of the school secretary’s role. – Yours, etc,

AIDAN BOYLE,

Scoil Cholmcille,

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Ballybrack, Co Dublin.