Voluntary Contributions and Extra Curricular Activities
Voluntary Contributions and Extra Curricular Activities 23/05/2017 10:37 - Money Matters (Locality: Dublin South) ----------------------------------- The voluntary contribution at my children´s national (primary) school is €350 per child. This is at least 3 times higher than any other national school in the area. The contribution goes towards the running of the school but no activities or "extras" are included. In other schools in the area, I have been informed that teachers run extra curricular activities in the afternoons. Teachers take the children to play sports in local parks, of which there are many. In my children´s school, extra curricular activities are organised and supervised by parents. The cost is high as the school insists there be two first aid trained and Garda vetted supervisors present for each activity. The teachers themselves are not involved and all go home by 2:45pm - 35 minutes after the end of the school day. Furthermore, the annual school sports day is organised and run and funded by parents, and the teachers do not attend. There are two teachers who have children in the school who also do not attend or allow their children to attend. Recently some children have started to play in the yard after school. Parents wait to allow them to kick a ball for a while as other activities in the school are so limited, they need this time to run off energy and socialise with their classmates. My own children say it´s the highlight of their day. (There are no ball games allowed during school breaks.) The school has now advised parents that playing on the grounds before or after school is banned. All in all - no extra curricular provided by school, no ball games, no teacher involvement in anything outside the limited desk-bound school curriculum - the voluntary contribution of €350 per child begins to sound like very bad value. The attitude of the teachers seems to be the opposite of child centred, and not one of them is willing to put in a bit extra for the happiness and health of the children.
What experience do others have of the voluntary contribution and teachers´ contribution to extra curricular activities? Are we being had in our school?
re : Voluntary Contributions and Extra Curricular Activities 27/05/2017 20:13 - Money Matters ----------------------------------- Who collects, banks and spends the VC?
re... : Voluntary Contributions and Extra Curricular Activities 27/05/2017 21:59 - Money Matters ----------------------------------- The school. We´ve had a look at accounts. Rather a lot of substitute teaching and high insurance. All accounted for though. Nothing dodgy going on.
