The extent of the challenges posed to Clare schools by the coronavirus have been laid bare by new class size statistics.
Department of Education data shows nearly a fifth of Clare’s primary school students are in classes of at least thirty pupils, meaning social distancing will be impossible in those schools when they return later this year.
While Minister for Education Joe McHugh has said he expects schools will be able to re-open in September, these figures on class sizes clearly demonstrate the extent of the issues that will have to be overcome when adhering to social distancing.
The Department of Education statistics, which relate to the school year that ended in summer 2019, show 2,581 primary students in Clare were in class sizes of at least 30 children.
141 of those were in classes of at least 35.
32 of Clare’s schools are affected; in Ballyea, Barefield, Clarecastle, Clonlara, Clooney, Cooraclare, Cratloe, Ennis, Kildysart, Kilkee, Kilkishen, Killaloe, Kilrush, Lisdoonvarna, Lissycasey, Miltown Malbay, Newmarket on Fergus, Parteen, Shannon, Sixmilebridge and Quin.
The figures don’t take the size of the classrooms into account, and undoubtedly there will be problems in classes of smaller sizes too.
The INTO has said large classes may need to be split in half to accommodate students safely, and warn that the situation is going to pose “very big challenges” for parents, children and teachers.
