Education a huge issue

carolk

Why are people not screaming from the rooftops about the state of our primary education system ...............



1, Mary Hanafin's mantra of an average of 24 pupils in a class is a cynical massaging of the statistics. To get this figure she throws in resource teachers and special ed teachers, and in some cases teachers brought in to teach English. The real figure is more like an average of 30. How many classes in the country are there with 24 pupils?????

2. Another huge issue that has emerged in primary schools, particularly over the past 3 years is the amount of children who are now in the system (particularly infant classes) who have very little or no English. At the moment, no school is allowed more than two teachers of English - no matter what the need. There are schools in some urban centres in the capital, where non nationals outstrip the traditional English speaking Irish children. These non national children are allowed help with English for two years only - no more. The subsequent strain on resource and special ed. teachers is huge and has a knock on effect on other pupils who have learning issues.

3. There is also a yawning gap in the provision of psychological services between schools. In some areas schools just 100 yards apart, the disparity in terms of resources goes from extra resource teacher allocation, regular visits from the psychologist to no provision at all for children in need.

4. I have just spent €1,000 on private psychological assessment for the diagnosis and recommendations in dealing with a specific learning difficulty for my daughter. The school she attends is mixed socio-economically. There are other children in her class who present with similar symptoms. They do not have that kind of money to do something about the situation. Because of lack of early intervention, what is going to happen to these children, How will it effect their confidence ........ will they see themselves as having little ability for the rest of their lives???????? anyone will tell you that the earlier you get to do something about these problems the better!!!!!!! Dealing with it in two or three years time will be too late!!!!!!!!!!!

What is this minister at?????????? ............. will someone please shout stop!!!!!!!!!!

delta_bravo

carolk wrote:

Why are people not screaming from the rooftops about the state of our primary education system ...............



1, Mary Hanafin's mantra of an average of 24 pupils in a class is a cynical massaging of the statistics. To get this figure she throws in resource teachers and special ed teachers, and in some cases teachers brought in to teach English. The real figure is more like an average of 30. How many classes in the country are there with 24 pupils?????

Im pretty sure they are currently aiming for 24.

ArthurDent

delta_bravo wrote:

Im pretty sure they are currently aiming for 24.

yeah ad have been since the start of this govt along with uder 30 for below 8 year olds, but according to Hanafin they "diverted" the extra resources into resource and ESL teaching and disadvataged status schools. I wouldn't hold your breadth.

johnlambe

I totally agree that we should be crying out for a better education system.
Better education (especially in disadvantaged areas) would lead to immense long-term benefits to society.

It is expensive, but the cost is outweighed by even the long-term economic benefits to the state (more people in well-paid jobs, paying taxes instead of receiving social welfare payments; lower crime).

See the Green Party Education Policy.
It includes a target class size of 20 for primary schools and reforming the limit of two language teachers per school, among other things.