Two Laois DEIS schools ‘remain deeply frustrated about the failure of the Minister for Education to prioritise class size reductions in all disadvantaged school categories’.
That is according to Independent TD for the Laois-Offaly constituency Carol Nolan who was speaking in the Dail recently.
Ms Nolan specifically mentioned Scoil Bhríde in Mountrath and Scoil Phádraig Naofa in Mountmellick as two schools that feel greatly aggrieved.
Delivering Equality of Opportunity In Schools (DEIS) is an initiative of the Department of Education and Skills aimed at lessening educational disadvantage and bringing about social inclusion in primary and second level education.
DEIS Band 1 schools, which the two above are considered, have dedicated staffing schedules based on pupil to teachers ratios of 20:1 in junior schools, 22:1 in vertical schools (schools with junior and senior classes) and 24:1 in senior schools.
Deputy Nolan was speaking after the raised a number of issues facing disadvantaged schools with the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, at the Oireachtas Education Committee, of which she is a member:
She said: “Several schools in the constituency have been on to me regarding this matter, which they feel is grossly unfair and in urgent need of immediate reconsideration.
“I have specifically brought the concerns of Scoil Bhríde in Mountrath and Scoil Phádraig Naofa in Mountmellick to the attention of the Minister.
“Both of these school communities are requesting that the existing proposals to reduce class sizes in DEIS senior schools be extended to include DEIS band 1 junior and vertical schools.
“At present this is not happening which means that some DEIS schools are being arbitrarily prioritised when the need to reduce class sizes and the pupil teacher ratios is an issue affecting all DEIS band categories.
“During the course of the debate I also asked the Minister to once again re-examine the possibility of instituting the Educational Disadvantage Committee.
“This Committee did magnificent work and made a great contribution to advancing and tackling the problems associated with accessing education for children in deprived backgrounds.
“I will continue to raise these and all other matters affecting schools in the constituency as a matter of priority.”
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