Overcrowded classes and an empty classroom: Serious 'frustration' at teaching job cuts during a health crisis

An empty classroom at a Co Louth school where teaching cuts have led to oversized classes. Source: TheJournal.ie

It is the second teacher lost from the school as a result of teacher allocation funding cuts over the past two years, and despite assurances from the Department that appropriate resources would be allocated to schools for the new year in light of the pandemic, the funding cuts in Rampark NS have not been reversed.

Following weeks of preparations to safely reopen the doors to the school’s 170 pupils, teachers and parents report feeling neglected by the Department. “The Covid-19 pandemic has made the need for government to reduce class sizes all the more apparent and urgent,” Boyle added. With pupils now returned to classrooms, and fears surrounding the nationwide spike in cases in recent weeks, teachers and principals are growing worried about how they can protect their pupils and staff in large class numbers despite other teaching spaces laying empty.

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“And I think we’re just taking things as they come this year, everybody is, and that’s why it’s so important for social distancing and we feel there is a solution to adhere to those guidelines which are paramount to the limiting of the disease spreading – and that’s the classroom. #Open journalism No news is bad news Support The Journal Your contributions will help us continue to deliver the stories that are important to you“As we were approaching September and the imminent return to school, he was becoming more talkative about wanting to see his friends, saying ‘I can’t wait to get back to school… he was very excited about all of that,” she said.

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