INCREASES IN student charges and the prospect of a new student loan scheme are the most striking features of the four-year plan in the education sector.
But the most controversial proposals are likely to be those which will see dramatic cuts in the number of resource, language support and Traveller support teachers. The INTO claimed last night that 700 jobs would be lost in a “shocking move which targets the most disadvantaged and marginalised”.
A 5 per cent cut has also been imposed on adult literacy programmes and the school completion programme which assists “at risk’’ pupils.
While there will be no cuts in class size in 2011, the plan holds out the prospect of significant cuts in teacher numbers, despite the projected increase in school numbers at primary and second level.
The student contribution fee will be €2,000 from next September, an increase of 33 per cent on the current €1,500 student registration charge.
But the plan also hints that a new student loan scheme could run from about 2012. Minister for Education Mary Coughlan said various options will be considered.
In other changes, the Government is to cap the number of special needs assistants (SNAs) at the current level of over 10,000. No reduction in the number of SNAs is proposed during the four-year lifespan of the plan.
Other key measures include a 5 per cent reduction in all capitation or support grants for schools including grants for adult literacy, community education, school completion programme and Youthreach. There will also be a 5 per cent cut in the non-pay grant to universities and the institutes of technology.
A new €200 charge for post-Leaving Cert students is to be introduced, while operational efficiencies in the school transport scheme are due to yield savings of €17 million per year.
The education budget will decline by 3 per cent over the lifetime of the plan from €9.2 billion to €8.9 billion in 2014. Nonetheless, pay and pensions, which absorb about 75 per cent of all education spending, will increase by 2 per cent over the four years.
On teacher numbers, the plan envisages €24 million in savings this year and a further €97.6 million in savings in 2011.
These measures will lead to a reduction of about 1,200 posts in 2011 (700 primary posts, 500 post-primary) which will be partly offset by the addition of some 875 new posts due to projected increases in pupil numbers.
The measures to reduce teacher posts include a decision to defer provision of 150 extra teachers in September 2010; a change in the favourable pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) to the standard PTR for the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme and for Gaelscoileanna and the withdrawal of resource teachers for Travellers posts at primary level and of equivalent teaching hours for Travellers at post-primary level.
There will also be a phased reduction in numbers of language support teachers. The plan hints further increases in class sizes may be necessary if the Croke Park deal on public service reform fails to deliver significant cost savings.
Teacher unions say the education cuts in the four-year plan target the most disadvantaged pupils. But Ms Coughlan said the Government “had gone as far as it could to protect frontline education services”.
Education 2011-2014
2011
– New student contribution charge of €2,000
– Income contingent student loan scheme to be set up
– Reduction of 1,200 teacher posts, but 875 new posts
2012-2014
–16 per cent cut in non-pay elements
– Cuts in language support and resource teachers for Travellers