The Department of Education has ordered schools to cut the number of teachers who help those with poor English skills by 250 posts.

This is double the number anticipated by the previous government - which favoured a phased reduction of 125 posts per year until 2015 - and will represent a loss of 18 per cent in the number of language support teachers in schools.

Primary schools are likely to be those worst affected, as they account for around 80 per cent of staff helping children, mainly immigrants, learn English.

The department stated it was necessary to speed up the process of the cuts in order to free up teaching posts for the system as a whole.

A spokesperson explained an expected increase in student numbers in September means that extra positions have to be found from somewhere, while they cannot increase recruitment due to hiring restrictions across the public sector.

Last week, the Teachers Union of Ireland warned that further cutbacks to education run the risk of undoing the good work to improve retention rates in the country's schools.

Written by Donal Walsh
 

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