Schools rationalism programme under way

THE commission on school accommodation needs, established by the Minister for Education, begins work today on the rationalisation of the school system. Enrolments are projected to fall by up to 70,000 pupils by the year 2000.

The commission is headed by Mr Frank Murray, former general secretary of the Association of Community and Comprehensive Schools, who has been appointed for a five year term.

A working group of the commission is to examine the rationalisation of the VEC system. It is widely expected that at least 10 smaller VECs will be closed down or amalgamated before the 10 new regional education boards proposed by Ms Breathnach are set up.

Draft legislation for the establishment of the regional boards is to be presented to the Government within the next few weeks. The detailed legislation will also provide for new structures for school boards of management at primary level.

The Education (Education Board and Boards of Management) Bill is believed to follow the outline of existing proposals in these areas, contained in last year's White Paper on Education, without making any substantial changes.

The Bill will provide for the establishment of "core" primary boards on which the religious trustees will have two out of six members. Two further members will be co opted from the wider community.

Long running talks between the Department of Education and the Catholic Primary School Managers' Association on the issue of school boards have not yet been concluded, but are said to be "at an advanced stage".

It is understood that the CPSMA has withdrawn an earlier demand that the local contribution by primary schools to the cost of education be abolished as a quid pro quo for agreement on, the boards. This follows a commitment made by the Minister after the Budget to examine the possibility of abolishing this contribution.

The thorny issue of a guarantee of the ethos of Catholic schools is also near resolution. This will take the form of an amendment to existing legal titles designed to give legal backing to the ethos of the school.

At second level, the legislation will outline broad principles, such as the right of parents to be represented on school boards. In addition, all schools will be required to establish a board of management if they have not already done so.

A spokesperson for the Minister said last night that she expected the issue of school boards to be sorted out by the time the detailed legislation is published in the summer.