A chara, - It must be very consoling for parents to read what John Hurley of the ASTI (December 17th) had to say about the Irish education system. Obviously almost everything in the garden is rosy, apart from the large classes - though the quality teachers where I know, instead of whinging about class sizes, get on with the work.
One or two other details not mentioned by Mr Hurley are worth bearing in mind. Many schools today cancel classes on five afternoons of the academic year in order to hold parent/ teacher meetings - one afternoon for first-years, another afternoon for second-years, etc. So working parents are expected to walk out of their workplaces to meet the teachers. Once upon a time these meetings were held at night, when most parents were free to attend.
In many schools, too, class periods are cancelled so that staff meetings can take place. Games and athletics also eat into the short academic year of 168 days (compare that with the Japanese school-year 250 days!) since all these are held on schooldays.
In schools in the North, games take place on Saturdays and in both Northern Ireland and England all staff meetings and parent/ teacher meetings take place outside school hours.
The quote from the spineless Department of Education and Science, used so approvingly by Mr Hurley, is beneath contempt. - Is mise,
Athlone Road, Mullingar, Co Westmeath.