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Cllr Deirdre Ferris.
A SINN Féin Kerry County Councillor has said that it would be outrageous if Ardfert National School was to lose a teacher next September because it is down one pupil from the threshold.
Cllr Deirdre Ferris said that the loss of a teacher would be a huge blow to the school and the community.
The Sinn Féin Councillor made her comments after parents were contacted by the school informing that because the school is short one pupil, it will lose a teacher next September.
The email from the school outlined that, under the staffing schedule for 2021/22 School Year, the retention figure for schools with eight mainstream teachers is 196 pupils.
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Ardfert NS has 195 pupils, one pupil below the required number to retain their eighth teacher. They appealed the decision to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board but the appeal was unsuccessful. The school intends to appeal the decision again.
“It would be outrageous for Ardfert National School to lose a teacher because it is one pupil short. Ardfert is a growing community and with new housing developments about to be completed and more being planned, the population will grow even further. Ardfert National School should be given extra resources, not have threats to remove one of their teachers.
“This has been an extremely difficult year for all schools and it is an absolute disgrace that any school would be treated in this way. I am calling on the Minister for Education Norma Foley to ensure that this does not happen,” said Cllr Ferris.
