by Damian Dowds, Inishowen Independent
PARENTS' committees from schools across Inishowen
met in Carndonagh last Wednesday night to discuss
their opposition to the education cutbacks proposed
in the Budget last month.
“Most local schools were represented,” said Mickey
Downey, who chaired the meeting. Mr Downey, a member
of the parents committee at St Patrick’s Boys’
School in Carn, appealed for a large turnout at
Saturday’s protest march in Donegal Town and said
buses will ferry parents from Inishowen to the
protest.
“There’s real anger among parents about this, but I
doubt that they’ll even appreciate the full extent
of the cutbacks until next September when they will
have to pay €200-€300 more for school books and
other things that will be cut under these
proposals,” Mr Downey said.
The proposed cutbacks will see primary class sizes
increase from 27 to 28, even though the Programme
for Government commits to reducing the class sizes
by one point a year to one teacher for every 24
children by September 2010.
Schools will not be entitled to employ a substitute
to fill in for teachers unless that teacher provides
a medical certificate for each and every day of
absence. Local schools have warned that this will
lead to further overcrowding, especially in smaller
schools, when pupils have to be sent to other
classes for supervision.
Substantial cuts will also be made in grants made
under the DEIS programme for schools in
disadvantaged areas, book grants, learning support
grants and the schools completion programme.
Albert Doherty, principal at St Patrick’s Boys’
School and secretary of the Carn/Moville branch of
the Irish National Teachers’ Association told the
meeting that teachers will no longer be able to give
children the individual attention they need.
Mr Doherty also told the meeting that special needs
children will be badly affected with the Act
covering improved rights and entitlements for them
being deferred.
“Although some schools may not be as badly affected
as others under these proposals on this occasion,
everyone must unite against these cuts,” he said.
Hundreds of local parents are expected to travel to
Saturday’s protest. The protest starts at 1.45pm at
the District Hospital which is on the way into
Donegal Town from Inishowen.
Buses will be leaving Greencastle via Redcastle and
Muff; Malin via Carn; Urris and Clonmany via
Buncrana; and Buncrana via Tooban and Bridgend.
Parents should contact their own schools for details
of departure times. |
