Ireland's Online Resource for Parents & Teachers
Half days for school kids in Ireland 'could end'
Posted by SchoolDays Newshound on 12/11/2010.
Tags: Teachers NewsPrimary and secondary school children in Ireland could see the end of their half days, if plans to make the education system more "parent-friendly" go ahead.
The Department of Education has proposed that closing schools for half days in order to facilitate teacher meetings and training sessions could be a thing of the past.
Prepared as part of the Croke Park agreement, the plans entail that teachers will have to work an additional hour every week to limit the necessity for school closures.
This, it stated, would help make it easier for parents of school kids as it would reduce the number of times they have to pick their kids up from school early.
On average, primary schools shut prematurely once a month, while both primary and secondary schools are regularly closed early the day they re-open after the holidays.
This move could encourage more teachers to engage in industrial action in protest, as the members of the Teachers' Union of Ireland have already expressed their discontent at the changes the government is planning to make, with 75 per cent of the group voting against planned budget cuts last month.
Written by Donal Walsh
Claire
(23/11/2010 13:11)
This week alone our local primary school is shut at 1.30 on Weds and Thurs for parent/teacher meetings and all day on Friday for a training day or something similar, this is far too much. These meetings whether with parents or with each other should be done outside school hours as it is really difficult for workings parents who don't have the same flexability and frankly their teaching day is short enough as it is. I realise that teaching is hard work and that there is a lot of preparation involved but teachers are well paid, they have ample holidays during the year and if they are teaching the same classes each year (as in our school) then the prep is pretty much the same each year too.
ressot
(30/11/2010 17:13)
At least you have until 1.30 to get to school to collect your child/children. Our local primary shuts at 12.30 pm meaning that working parents have to lose an entire day's pay or annual leave. I agree that meetings should be held outside of school hours. This was agreed to in Benchmarking - however, just try and get your meeting then.