Press Releases

Posts of Responsibility in Primary Schools

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Sheila Nunan, General Secretary, Irish National Teachers’ Organisation on Posts of Responsibility in Primary Schools

Primary teachers union says Minister’s announcement lacks detail and clarity.

The Irish National Teachers' Organisation said such was the scale of the cutbacks in posts in some primary schools that any alleviation would be welcomed by affected schools. The primary teachers' union also said the fact that primary schools were covered by the revised scheme was due to its insistence at its Easter Congress that primary schools be included.

However Sheila Nunan, General Secretary of the INTO said the scope of the alleviation for primary schools lacked detail, certainty and clarity. She said it perpetuated the historic disparity between primary and post primary schools in the allocation of these posts.  Ms Nunan also said the limited nature of the alleviation would be seen by principal teachers as inadequate especially given the failure of government to honour the benchmarking award made to principals and deputy principals. "As it stands it will do little to alleviate the ever increasing workload for principals resulting from the on-going moratorium in schools."

Ms Nunan said the INTO would seek a meeting with the Department officials to discuss the detail of this announcement and to ensure that primary schools were treated fairly by the review process. 

ENDS//