Cork teachers and unions express mixed views on government proposals

Cork teachers and members of the two teaching unions have shared mixed views on the Programme for Government (PFG), with fears that it does not adequately address teacher shortages.

The draft PFG promises that the incoming government will increase capitation funding to schools of all types, aim to reduce the general Pupil Teacher Ratio at primary level to 19:1, and trial new administrative supports and arrangements for principals.

It also pledges to introduce a new national Small Schools Project for all 1,300 small primary schools, increase funding supports for student teachers, and conduct a review of leadership and continuous professional development supports.

On staffing, the PFG says only the Government will: “Develop a workforce plan for the education sector to ensure that we continue to attract, retain and return people into the sector and that the appropriate conditions and supports exist to ensure that they meet the needs of children and young people, society and the economy over the coming decades.”

Protest

Siobhan O’Donovan, a Cork secondary school teacher and member of the ASTI Standing Executive, told The Echo: “It would have been nice if there had been a response to our protest.” 

30,000 teachers protested outside schools in November over concerns about the new leaving certificate curriculum; the practicalities of rolling it out, the spreading of stress, and worries about AI, fairness and equity.

“We thought maybe there would be a suggestion to have another look at the plans or pause them, but there was nothing — it would be nice if the teacher on the ground had been listened to.

“Another huge concern is the recruitment and retention crisis — we conducted a RedC survey that showed 82% of schools have advertised a job and have nobody apply. You have young people starting out who can only get ten hours in a school, so they’re going to Australia where they get permanent, full time contract.

“I can’t see these issues being solved in any way by the PFG.

Unhappiness

“There’s a growing unhappiness in staffrooms, the joy that was there in the past of teaching kids, helping them to succeed, that’s being eroded.”

Cork primary school teacher and vice president of the INTO, Anne Horan, said that the union was very pleased to see several of the policies they suggested included in the programme.

“The small schools programme will be hugely welcomed, I’m teaching myself in a three teacher school and this will make the job much easier.”

However, she added: “We are quite disappointed by the lack of response to teaching shortages. We have been speaking out about this for a long time, and there’s no real response to that in this PFG.”