PSYCHOLOGICAL services for students in Irish secondary schools are almost four times worse than the European average, according to a new submission on school discipline and bullying by the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI).
The document, which has been submitted to the Department of Education, says that bullying and discipline problems are increasing in schools. It calls for new initiatives to combat disadvantage, including intervention at the level of individual students rather than on a geographical basis.
It also seeks improvements to the School Psychological Service, a reduction in class sizes and further training for teachers to address school leadership and classroom management issues.
"Too often, we see a failure to take responsibility and stand up to bullies in every walk of life," says Mr John Mulcahy, president of ASTI.
The submission is critical of the support services available to schools and recommends a radical upgrading of the school psychological service.
The current ratio of students to psychologists in Ireland is 18,000 to one, almost four times the European average of 5,000 to one.
The ASTI claims that one secondary school in the west of Ireland, with over 1000 pupils, relies on a parish levy to employ part time remedial teachers.
The ASTI is also particularly concerned about the policy of combating disadvantage by targeting geographical areas rather than individual schools and students.
It claims that 60 per cent of disadvantaged students attend schools which are not designated as disadvantaged.
According to the union's submission, problems of disadvantage manifest themselves in poor school attendance, behavioural problems among students and negative attitudes to school and society in general.
The submission recommends that all schools should have a home school co ordinator to improve relations with parents and that schools should develop procedures to make the transfer of students from primary to second level as problem free as possible.
The ASTI has also called for proper funding for second level schools. According to a survey by the union conducted earlier this year, 75 per cent of all second level schools seek voluntary donations of up to £100 annually from parents to cover basic running costs.