Budget 2009: Class Sizes Increased in Primary Schools 14/10/08

Statement by Irish National Teachers’ Organisation on Budget 2009

14th October 2008
 
Class Sizes increased in Primary School
 
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation has reacted with outrage to today’s budget saying that primary school children are being asked to pay the price for the government’s economic incompetence.
 
Responding to the proposal that class sizes are to increase next year, the union’s General Secretary, John Carr, said the government had failed abysmally to protect the vulnerable in our society. “Mr Lenihan has stolen the futures of primary pupils to bail out the banks.”
 
“Primary education will suffer because of the cuts introduced today,” said Carr. “Already overcrowded classes will be further packed. This can only be described as a savage attack on primary education.” It was announced in today's budget that class sizes in primary will rise from 27 to 28.
 
INTO President Declan Kelleher said the Minister had chosen the soft option in attacking primary school children. He said teachers will lose jobs at a time when more and more pupils need places in primary schools. “Next year there will be 200 fewer teachers with thousands of additional pupils.”
 
ENDS