THE Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) has rejected plans by the Minister for Education to rate the performance of schools from very good" to "weak". The union is opposing a plan to provide parents with copies of inspection reports. Involvement by outside inspectors in the evaluation of schools was also rejected.
In a detailed response to the Department of Education's discussion document on Whole School Inspection (WSI), the INTO says the proposals are "seriously flawed". The present system of inspecting schools was by and large the correct approach it maintained.
"Parents are entitled to make complaints and to have them processed efficiently. It would be a major mistake, however, to use the inspection system as a forum for dealing with complaints. The two must be kept separate", said the INTO general secretary, Senator Joe O'Toole.
The union said that the principal and staff of the school, as well as the chairperson of the board of management, should be furnished with school inspection reports. However, Mr O'Toole said the proposals for WSI would "seriously damage" relationships be tween teachers, parents, inspectors and management.
Ms Breathnach's proposals for reforming the system of school inspection have proved highly controversial with teachers, in spite of assurances that performance league tables similar to those in the UK would not be introduced here. She plans to introduce a pilot WSI scheme in the autumn.
