Irish class sizes 'shameful'

Heinrich

Again we have some more examples of our gullibility! We get to see the Minister Hanafin phoshooting in shoo;s with bright new Microsoft handouts whilst the reality is as below.

We are constantly being told of the great improvments in Health, Education, Transport etc. The reality is that in the light of a hugely growing population these "improvements" are simply a vain attempt at keeping our heads above the water.

Schoolrooms are amongst most overcrowded in Europe


Katherine Donnelly
IRISH classrooms are among the most overcrowded in Europe, despite repeated government promises to dramatically reduce class sizes.

New figures - seen by the Irish Independent - reveal that, aside from the UK, our class sizes are the biggest in EU, with one-in-four students sharing their classroom with 30 other pupils or more.

Primary school teachers and parents last night criticised the Government for failing to honour its promise to reduce class sizes for the under-nines to below 20 during its lifetime.

The average class size remains at a stubborn 24, down only a fraction since the Government made its promise after the 2002 election. This is despite the recruitment of 4,000 primary teachers in the same period - but they have been absorbed by a rise in enrolments and the need to teach English to newcomer pupils.

Primary class sizes in Ireland are the second highest in the EU.

The worst is the UK - but it provides classroom assistants to help teachers.

The Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO) last night kicked off a series of nationwide public meetings designed to pile on the pressure.

The campaign kicked off with packed meetings in Booterstown and Swords, Co Dublin and 20 more are planned before the end of March. According to the latest figures, 25pc of all pupils in primary school are in classes with more than 30, and less than 15pc are in classes with fewer than 20.

The problem is worst in areas of rapid population growth such as west and north county Dublin, Meath and Kildare.

According to figures supplied to Labour Dublin West TD Joan Burton, the average class size in primary schools in Dublin 15 is as high as 28.7.

INTO general secretary John Carr said last night the campaign was about the quality of education available to nearly half a million primary pupils.

He added that the modern up-to-date curriculum was not meant for overcrowded classrooms.

"It is a sad and shameful fact that more than 80pc of primary school children are in bigger classes than were promised five years ago."

He said when the commitment on reducing class sizes was made five years ago, it was done in the knowledge that classes of under 20 were the international benchmark.

"It was not a throwaway election promise.

"It was a post-election commitment." Fine Gael education spokesperson Olwyn Enright said she believed large classes compounded educational disadvantage with negative, long-term consequences for many children.

Labour education spokesperson Jan O'Sullivan said reducing class sizes would be a priority for the party in Government.

The Association of Teachers Ireland (ASTI) has also recently begun a a campaign for smaller classes at second-level.

gandalf

Heinrich any chance of a link with these please. At least give the originator of the story the credit.

po0k

Is that average class-size per teacher? Ie if a teacher in a small school is teaching 3rd and 4th class, with 24 pupils in each, is that still considered an average class-size of 24?

simu

SyxPak wrote:

Is that average class-size per teacher? Ie if a teacher in a small school is teaching 3rd and 4th class, with 24 pupils in each, is that still considered an average class-size of 24?

Afaik it's kids per classroom.