Teachers at 'wits end' due to inadequate school services
Thursday July 24 2008
A survey was sent to the principals of over 80 primary schools in the Duhallow and Muskerry area by Fine Gael TD?Michael Creed in May and they were returned within a week.
Respondents included larger schools in the major towns of Macroom, Kanturk, Millstreet and Newmarket as well as smaller rural primary schools dotted throughout the region. Deputy Creed said his office has spent the last number of weeks trawling through the respondents? statements and forming an overall view of ?the feeling on the ground.?
Among the comments from schools were that special needs services are, ?inadequate, random and disjointed,? and that the Department of Education and Science was ?very slow with giving resources.?
Deputy Creed (pictured) told The Corkman: ?What has been revealed are serious cases of under-development in many areas such as the provision of special needs services, classroom space and play facilities.? This survey is proof positive that the Government has failed to provide a system suitable to cater for the needs of children, who require special attention from a very early age,? he added.
Asked why he conducted the survey, he told The Corkman that his office is contacted on a daily basis by parents and teachers who are at their ?wits end,? with delays and postponements by the Department of Education and Science.
Deputy Creed said that in relation to autism and other learning disabilities early intervention was crucial for children. However, he said the survey found very little support is provided to schools in Muskerry and in Duhallow.
