Hundreds of people are expected to march in the Mayo Rally Against Education Cuts taking place in Castlebar tomorrow, Saturday February 25.
On Tuesday last Minister for Education Ruairi Quinn announced he had made a “mistake” in cutting teachers to disadvantaged DEIS schools and that he was now reversing this decision to cut 428 teaching posts but would instead retain 235 of these. However the Minister also declared that the funds required to save these posts would now be met through cuts on the existing school capitation budgets, which will affect heating and fuel costs in all schools across the board.
Regarding the proposed small school cuts - which was to reduce teacher numbers by upping pupil numbers to 14, instead of the current quota of 12 needed to secure a second teacher, the Minister announced an “appeals process” for small schools to plead their individual cases for retention of teacher numbers, particularly where they could show an influx of new students would take place over the next few years.
Reacting to the decision, Castlebar Sinn Féin councillor Thérèse Ruane welcomed the U-turn on DEIS schools cuts but criticised the “appalling decision to spread new cuts across primary and post primary sectors”. Cllr. Ruane insists that this pitches one child against another. She is calling for the reversal in educational cuts and reduced teacher numbers in rural primary schools and appealing to people to come out and support tomorrow’s march.
“The effects of this review will essentially pitch one child against another,” she warned. ”We need to see a reversal of the reduced teacher numbers affecting small schools accross Mayo. At a time of economic crisis the Government should be investing in education and in combating disadvantage, not adding to it. I'm calling on everyone to have your voice of opposition to these cuts heard and come out and support the Mayo Rally Against Educational Cuts.”
Assembly for the march begins from the Mall, Castlebar, at 1.30pm.
