Mayo teachers to bring small schools’ campaign to Taoiseach’s door
February 15, 2012
Primary school teachers from Mayo, and across the region, are to take their campaign to save small rural schools to the door of the Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s constituency office in Castlebar on Saturday, February 25th. Up to 3,000 representatives from small schools across County Mayo and its borders are expected to take part in the march.
The organisers of the Save Our Small Schools Campaign say that they plan to hand in a letter of petition calling for the reversal of retrospective budget cuts to education, in particular those affecting small schools.
The move comes in the wake of Budget cuts announced in December 2011, which increased the pupil teacher ratio retrospectively, basing next year’s posts on September 30, 2011 numbers which were later increased in Decembers Budget.
Up to 150 small schools across County Mayo have joined together to launch a campaign under the umbrella of the Save Our Small Schools group in Mayo against measures taken in December’s budget and having received considerable support up and down the West Coast of Ireland a protest march expected to attract up to 3,000 people will take place on February 25 in Castlebar.
The march will go from the Mall to the Taoiseach’s constituency office on Tucker St. where a letter/petition “signed by over 3,000 people protesting the cuts and will be hand delivered by Mr Kenny’s constituents in Mayo and supporters from affected rural communities”, say the organisers.
The aim is to raise awareness of the detrimental effects on small schools after the budget annoucements.
The protest marchers will gather at the Mall in Castlebar at 1.30pm and will follow a protest route through the town. Following a short address at 2pm by Tom Byrne, Princpal of Partry N.S.,the marchers will continue onto Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s office.
Please the Troika
The effects of Budget in Dec 2011 will leave many communities with no option but to close their local school or to amalgamate with larger town schools, according to the Save Our Small Schools Campaign.
Commenting on the situation one Mayo school principal, Caithríona Carty said, “I am shocked that Mayo has three T.D.s and a Taoiseach in Government who are willing to turn a blind eye to what is happening in their local communities to please the Troika.
“The Taoiseach himself attended and worked in small schools in Mayo, is he going to stand by and watch this happen?”
“These cuts are a direct attack on small rural communities, removing the focal point and diminishing communities throughout rural Ireland, targeting small schools and special needs children.
“The minister doesn’t seem to realise that not everybody can or wants to live in urban areas and therefore by reducing teachers in these areas, makes it impossible to teach with such limited resources and reduced grants coming into schools,” Ms Carty concluded.
All those interested in supporting the stance are welcome to attend the march and should assemble at the Mall at 1.30pm on Saturday February 25th next.
MAYO TODAY
