Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Cuts may deprive Protestant pupils of choice, claims Bandon principal

PROTESTANT students could lose their constitutional right to choose schools of their own ethos if suggested cutbacks are added to those already affecting schools for minority religion pupils, a principal has warned.

Ian Coombes said Bandon Grammar School in west Cork has lost 1.5 teachers more than other secondary schools with similar numbers because of an additional cutback hitting fee-paying schools.

Under the measure, the number of students needed to sanction a teacher increased from 18 to 20, whereas it only rose to 19 at other schools.

But Protestant fee-paying schools claim they are being worse affected because they cater for students from much wider catchment areas than other second level schools, particularly outside Dublin, and also enrol students from a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds.

Further cuts in staffing and funding have also been recommended by the report in July of the public service spending review group, An Bord Snip Nua chaired by economist Colm McCarthy.

Mr Coombes said his is the only Protestant secondary school between Cork City and New York. Dozens of its 518 students come from more than 20 miles away and its 120 boarders include students from as far away as north Kerry.

"The wider fee-paying sector is a freedom of choice, but if people want their constitutional right to choose a school of their own ethos, they don’t have a choice near home outside Dublin and Cork City," Mr Coombes said.

"Half of our students benefit from a grant waiver based on household income and other factors, which is funded by the block grant the Department of Education gives to Protestant schools," he said.

The school lost four of its 28 teachers last month, whereas similar-sized schools outside the fee-paying system only lost 2.5 teaching posts. The effect has been the loss of subjects such as music for first years and those starting fifth year last month, and almost caused the school to drop German as an optional subject.

Along with all other fee-paying schools, it has also lost a €145,000 support services grant used to employ secretarial and care-taking staff, whose continuing work now means major savings have to be made on heating, photocopying and the purchase of books and computer equipment.

"If the recommendation of the McCarthy report that the staffing schedule be changed to 28 students per teacher is adopted, we would have to increase the fees we charge and dozens of students would no longer be able to attend," Mr Coombes said.

The challenges facing Protestant secondary schools in Ireland were discussed at a weekend conference, where it was claimed that many are threatened with closure by existing and prospective Government cutbacks.

Protestant Parents’ Association spokesperson Eleanor Petrie said parents were not willing to stand by and watch as the possibility of educating children in a school reflecting their ethos evaporated.
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