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Updated 19.05
SCOIL NÁISIÚNTA INIS Meáin, the sole primary school on the Aran Island off the coast of Galway, has fought a protracted campaign in recent times to have a second teacher instated at the school.
Today there was some good news at last for parents and principal (and currently sole teacher) Orlaith Breathnach as global insurance group Zurich Insurance have stepped into the fold and pledged to help fund a second teacher for the school.
The arrangement will only be in place for the next two years however.
The school had lost its second teacher in 2012 when its number of pupils fell below Department of Education regulatory levels.
“We are absolutely delighted, and so grateful, that Zurich have set in, and even if it is only a short-term solution,” islander and parent Máiréad Ní Fhatharta told TheJournal.ie.
This is an accumulation of our campaign and the media campaign I think you can say, and it’s amazing that we have gotten a result at last.
At the same time it is worrying and alarming that a private multinational has had to step in. If I were in government I would be wondering greatly about that fact.
Previously the Department of Education told TheJournal.ie that their decision not to furnish the school with a second teacher for the coming academic year could be appealed in October.
In response Breathnach, a Dubliner settled on the island, told us that if something wasn’t done soon the end result would see the island depopulating.
“What will happen is people won’t be happy to send their children to school here,” she said.
What other choice will they have but to leave the island? And very, very quickly the island will be gone.
Meanwhile, CEO of Zurich Europe Patrick Manley said that he and his company are “proud to be able to step in and pledge our support”.
Inis Meáin is a stronghold of the Irish language. The language, and the very sustainability of the island is under threat if families there cannot avail of a good level of education for their children.
But looking beyond that two year horizon, Zurich also supports the community’s efforts to secure the permanent appointment of a second teacher on the island.
Ní Fhatharta, who has one daughter enrolled in the school and hope to send her son there when he’s old enough, agrees.
“I would have my concerns for the future,” she said.
We’ve had a very public campaign with a lot of personal time gone into this. I think it’s quite alarming nationally and a great injustice that we are in this situation in the first place.
That our children should be condemned with a substandard education is very worrying.
In a statement this evening the Department of Education declined to comment directly on the situation saying “it is not the policy of the Department of Education and Skills to comment on matters that do not relate to the approved staffing allocation of an individual school”.
The enrolment of SN Inis Meáin does not meet the requirement for the appointment of a second teacher.
An appeals process is available to small schools in the event that they can show that their projected enrolments are sufficient to allow them to retain the classroom teacher in the longer term.
The Department has not received a staffing appeal from SN Inis Meáin.
Originally published 16.35
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Shame on our government, school saved by Zurich Insurance?
Our government are more concerned with scoring political points on sinn fein
absolutely.hang your heads in shame fg and lab. doing absolutely nothing for our national language or education in this country.demoralising teachers is the mark of their time in government and reducing teacher numbers
Hyperbolic nonsense to say that the govt are doing “absolutely nothing” either about the language or education, calm yourself down.
Get a life my friend. If you still want to be managed by these gombeens OK. But the Irish electorate has woken up. They sick and tired of of being abused by professional politicians on the gravy train.
And they are changing the printers, about the cost of a teacher, they are totally mad and out of control, http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/astonished-lucinda-insists-we-dont-want-new-printers-31480577.html
That message was intended to James Dunne.
Comhghairdeas pobail Inis Meáin!
Great news
Any chance of covering the kick in the teeth Educate Together in Castlebar got today. 16 Catholic schools in the town & ET were being forced by dept of ed to accept a run down shack 8km from the town. Secular children are the new second class citizens.
In the vast vast majority, catholic schools are far better for education than secular schools. The results in leaving certs and junior certs don’t lie
“8km from the town” in other words a 10 min drive the poor souls.
There are zero secular schools in Ireland so how do you know Catholic are better?
better parents perhaps?
Nah lying to kids about sky fairies is child abuse!
Santa and the Easter bunny child abuse too?. If you’re to lazy to head to mass on a Sunday and even complain about a ten minutes travel to a school then I’d guess such a lazy attitude would rub off on the children. That’s even before the strong moral catholic ethos that both parent and teachers install in their children. If “skyfairies” keep children in line and learning isn’t it great rather then having them running around like headcases.
The “sky fairies” reference also just proves the confrontational nature and intolerance that been installed in many ET students by their parents,belittling others beliefs and equating it to child abuse, Well done.Thanks.
Well considering that Castlebar has a secular secondary school, you clearly have no idea what you’re on about.
That’s great going considering they only have 3 children in the school
http://education.ie/en/find-a-school/School-Detail/?roll=12339I
Surely that can’t be right, can it? Perhaps they should keep pushing so they could have a 1 teacher to 1 student ratio FFS!
And a principle post/wage for that hahaha
Last years enrolement afaik. Few more starting this year. Even from a H&S and Child Protection perspective, one teacher should not be on their own. If the island schools are ignored, they might as well move it down to Kerry to join the Blaskets.
Brilliant News!
jaysus! they love St two teachers. Right I’m sending the kids there, the wife aswell.
*lost. damn I blew it! argggghh
Dheasceal, rinne Zurich rud Iontach , ar feadh cupla Bhlian ar a laghad .
have your say