For too long, teaching principals have had to fulfil administrative roles and duties while also teaching classes as would any other teacher. Added to this is the unpredictable nature of running a primary school. They are already fulfilling multiple roles and are picking up the slack for the Department of Education. Teaching principals are a feature of many smaller schools, especially in counties like Mayo.
What we heard today at the INTO conference was a message that things cannot continue as normal. The Government has to recognise that this is a problem that will not go away by ignoring it.
Last July, I hosted a briefing in Leinster House at which several teaching principals stated starkly that many teachers will be forced to relinquish principal duties or leave the profession altogether due to an increasing workload.
I am concerned to hear, almost a year on, that not much has changed and that in some cases the situation has worsened. Equally concerning is the testimony of teaching principals regarding their own health and mental well-being. Many have reported increased stress levels which have impacted upon their health forcing many to leave their positions.
Teaching principals have asked for one release day a week to attend to an ever growing administrative burden. This should be granted. The threshold for appointing administrative deputy principals should be reduced. These demands are reasonable and provide a solution to ongoing difficulties and will help secure the future safe staffing and running of many smaller schools.
