Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 December 2022
372. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education the main initiatives that she has taken to provide reduced class sizes at primary school level since 27 June 2020; the additional funding provided in successive budgets; her plans for 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62202/22]
View answerUnder the Programme for Government, there is a commitment to reduce the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools and I am delighted that significant progress has been made.
In Budget 2023, I ensured major investment in our schools and I have succeeded in bringing the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools for the 2023/24 school year which is the lowest ever seen at primary level. This was my third successive Budget which saw an improvement in allocation of teachers to primary schools. Budget 2021 reduced the staffing schedule to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils, while Budget 2022 reduced it further to 1 classroom teacher for every 24 pupils.
In Budget 2021, I also introduced a three point reduction in the retention schedule, which assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts. The recent announcement in Budget 2023 will further reduce this retention schedule, by virtue of the one point improvement to the staffing schedule which helps to ensure better teacher retention in primary schools while also ensuring that less pupils are required to retain or recruit a teacher.
This significantly increased investment reflects my commitment and that of Government to support the educational success of learners and to provide a quality inclusive school system with improved learning outcomes for all.
