CHILDREN WILL be sent home and schools may have to close from January as Budget cuts in teacher substitution take effect, teachers and school managers warned yesterday.
Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe says schools will have to do their best to cope with any difficulties when they reopen after the Christmas break.
Last night, both the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) and the group representing almost 400 secondary schools - the Joint Managerial Board (JMB) - said the Budget changes would make it impossible for schools to function.
INTO general secretary John Carr said the proposal to withdraw substitute cover for teachers on uncertified sick leave means primary schools have no alternative but to send children home.
He accused the Minister of failing to understand the effect the lack of substitution will have on primary schools. "As a result of the Budget, schools will have no alternative but to send children home, heaping huge hardship on parents who could be forced to find child minding services at short notice.''
Ferdia Kelly of the JMB said he was very concerned that schools would have to consider closing in January as there will be no alternative for school management with no cover for sick leave and for teachers on school business. "Principals and deputy principals are not in a position to look after classes where no teacher is available to act as a substitute in a class for an absent colleague.''
The Minister, who is taking part in the Government trade mission to China, ruled out any climbdown on the changes to the substitution regime or the increase in class size.
While acknowledging the difficulties for schools, he asked teachers to back these measures for two years until economic conditions improve.
Ahead of next week's Dáil vote on class size, the INTO has already begun lobbying local representatives. The union is also planning a Dáil protest next Wednesday when the the Labour Party has tabled a motion on class size.
A nationwide series of regional rallies against the cuts is also planned. The Association of Secondary School Teachers in Ireland has also asked its 17,000 members to lobby local TDs.
In other developments, Teachers' Union of Ireland general secretary Peter MacMenamin has criticised the continued €100 million State subsidy for fee-paying schools.
"Such schools will be virtually unscathed by the brutal cuts aimed against the minority ethnic students or Traveller students announced last week.
"Those concerned will not lie awake perturbed over cuts to the school book grant or other disadvantaged initiatives," he said.
In the current economic climate, it is morally inexcusable this situation continues and we urge the Minister to prioritise this issue, Mr MacMenamin said.
