MAYOR VOICES CONCERNS OVER EDUCATION CUTS
Mayor of Fermoy Tadhg O’Donovan has added his voice to the growing chorus of concern at the Government’s education cutbacks.
Mayor O’Donovan, a member of County Cork Vocational Education committee, says an audit carried out by the VEC shows that 34 teachers will be lost across the 22 secondary schools, 4 community colleges and 4 outdoor centres in the region of county Cork alone as a result of the cutbacks.
Mayor O’Donovan added that the significance of the education budget cutbacks would not be realised until schools feel the impact of the suspension of teacher substitution arising from uncertified sick leave or classroom absences due to school business such as in-service training or school sports and tours.
“This won’t really be felt until January”, Mayor O’Donovan told The Avondhu.
“When there is no provision for teacher cover we will see the true impact of these cuts. When teachers involved with a school sports team take them off to compete there will be no one to supervise the pupils who are not involved. The same goes for school tours. Teachers who want to do in-service training, to keep up to date, will also now not get any cover.”
Mayor O’Donovan said that while the teacher cover was one of the largest issues facing schools, the cutbacks on grants for books will also have a significant impact.
“I was at St Fanahan’s College Mitchelstown recently at the opening of the library there. They managed to secure €10,000 for it, but now will not be able to get further help to put more books in it.”
“Under law people are obliged to send their children to school. But with these book cuts and the increase in the cost of school transport some may worry if they can afford to send their children to school.
"To cut frontline staff from education shows how sick this government has gone. The Taoiseach wont defend the provision of funding for education yet can defend the head of FAS after his waste of taxpayers’ money. It’s wrong,” the Mayor concluded.
Published:
Thursday 4th December 5:21pm
