School closures fear in Gaeltacht areas
December 13, 2011
Gaeltacht parents and teachers have expressed their dismay at cuts to small rural schools announced in last week’s budget.
A series of meetings have been held in Gaeltachtaí this week after Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, announced that the pupil teacher ratio would increase in schools with less than 4 teachers.
Treasa Ní Mhainín from Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta says that the decision could mean that many Gaeltacht areas could eventually be left with empty schools and it could incur job losses in Gaeltacht areas.
She believes that up to 91 schools of less than 86 pupils which are located in Gaeltacht areas are liable to suffer under the new cuts.
She says that the decision has worried the organisation and teachers with the fear being that eventually schools would have to close due to the fact they would have a low level of pupils.
Last night in Baile Bhúirne in the Muskerry Gaeltacht in Cork teachers and parents from southern Gaeltacht areas in Cork, Kerry and Waterford met to discuss the issue while another meeting took place in the Conamara Gaeltacht yesterday afternoon.
Again as happened in the case of the decision to merge the office of the Language Commisioner and the Office of the Ombudsman, prior to the publication of a review of the relevant legislation, this decision has been made irrespective of a new report yet to be published on
the viability of small schools in rural areas.
The publication date of the report has yet to be announced but it is expected to be put before the Minister for Education in mid 2012.
In the meantime, the closure of rural schools has become an issue of contention in rural areas- which was most evident with the response to the closure of Meenamore national school in Donegal.
The date of a meeting on the issue has been moved forward and will now take place in Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge in Gaoth Dobhair today at 4.30 p.m.
Local TD and Minister of State for Gaeltacht Affairs, Dinny McGinley has come out saying that no decision will be made on the closure of the school without the consultation of parents and the Board of Management. Seven pupils attend the school which recently celebrated its centenary year.
Claims that it may be more effective to close schools operating on such a small level have been resolutely rejected by organisations such as Eagraíocht na Scoileanna Gaeltachta.
“What is effective about making such a decision prior to the publication of an official report on the matter,” says Treasa Ní Mhainín.
“ In the case of school closures or mergers, the capital allowance follows the child to the new school and the teacher will still have to be paid. It may happen that the only saving made be on items such as electricity costs. I don’t understand this rationale as it has been shown that children in small schools are receiving such a high standard of education.”
