Full Effects of Education Cuts?

overmantle

Just wondering if the full effects of the education cuts have been fully realised by the public yet? I think it will be next September before everybody will fully realise the difficulties.
Teacher numbers will be down, Special Needs Assistants look like being well down, Substitution cover cut resulting in major disruption, little or no cover for language support for international students, post holders not being replaced when on career break or retiring. The list goes on and on.
The children will be the ultimate losers.

overmantle

As parents, we should not take our frustrations out on the schools but the Department of Education and Science. We should be communicating our dissatisfaction. I for one intend writing to the Minister and hope that many more will do likewise. Perhaps it's time we started writing to the newpapers and ringing radio stations. By September, it will be a fait accompli, I fear.

Geog

:mad:My sister who is a teacher said that we don't realise at all, how children will be affected - not until the next school year (and beyond) will the full effects be seen. The unfortunate thing is that it's the very schools that are the victims of these cutbacks are the very ones that will be receiving complaints from parents. The people responsible for making the cuts won't have to listen to the complaints at all.
I suppose it's a bit like a child being beaten up by a bully and then the victim being chastised by all the other children's parents.

shelly6

I wouldn't worry too much about the posts of responsibility - these used to be done unpaid in schools.
But the other ones are major problems. My school is down three teachers this year - A special class teacher and two language teachers. The same number (posibly higher) of language kids will now be spread between 3 instead of 5 teachers. This is going to seriously affect everybody in the school. The language teachers will have less time for in class support. The language kids will pick up english slower. Both these combined mean that the class teacher is getting less in class support, and are going to have to donate more time to the child who does not understand what is going on in the classroom.
Its crazy.

overmantle

I agree Shelly. Most schools will have this and many many more problems in September. The issue of Posts of Responsibility is possibly a more significant one than you may yet have realised. Many schools with teachers on career break or retiring (and there are many) will not have the duties replaced. Many of these include assembly duty and a whole host of activities and initiatives that enrich school life and support children. Due to the crazy cuts, the INTO has issued a directive to other teachers NOT to perform any additional duties instead of those teachers. Where does that leave the school, the children and most of all, the headaches this all causes for the school principals??
Once again, if parents become frustrated with the cutbacks, class sizes, reduction in school initiatives etc etc, please, please do NOT take it out on your local school. Get in touch with your local Government TD and blow them out of it!