Threshold needed to qualify for teaching staff to be reduced from September
The Government is to reduce the pupil enrolment requirements for small schools in a move which will benefit schools across Galway, Mayo and the West.
The current thresholds required to qualify for additional teaching staff will be reduced with effect from this September and will ensure that schools across Galway will retain teachers and, in some cases, qualify for additional ones.
The new thresholds are:
- A two-teacher school will require a threshold of 19 pupils rather than 20 as it is currently
- A three-teacher school will require a threshold of 53 pupils rather than 56 as it is currently
- A four teacher schools will require a threshold of 83 pupils rather than 86 as it is currently
Furthermore, after reflection and consideration the Government will not accept the recommendations of the ‘Value for Money and Policy Review’ on small schools which was initiated by the previous Fianna Fáil government. Rather, the new policy approach will be dependent on criteria such as patronage and geographical distance – 8km.
The Department of Education is continuing its analysis of enrolment figures to work out which schools will be positively impacted by the new proposals and Minister O’Sullivan has clearly set out the process that schools which are one-teacher schools or approaching similar enrolment levels, will have in working with the Department on setting out the future of the school.
Commented Galway West and Mayo South Fine Gael TD Seán Kyne: “This new policy approach announced by Minister Jan O’Sullivan which will see the reduction in the enrolment numbers required to qualify for teaching staff shows a clear commitment to supporting rural schools and communities.
“Only last week opposition politicians in Galway were issuing dire warnings about the impact of the ‘Value for Money’ review of small schools. The announcement today has exposed this pointless scaremongering and instead demonstrates the Government’s commitment in balancing parental choice, patronage and the resources available for the primary school network.
“This Government has consistently maintained that additional funding would be invested as our State’s finances improve. The new policy approach on small schools announced today is a clear example of how we are keeping this commitment and will be, I’m certain, welcomed across Galway and Mayo,” concluded Deputy Kyne.