06.10.2022
Board of Education highlights teacher shortage in Synod report
The shortage of teachers and lack of affordable accommodation in the capital was highlighted by the Diocesan Board of Education at Dublin & Glendalough’s Synods on Tuesday evening (October 4).
Proposing the report in Taney Parish Centre, Canon Lesley Robinson said the board, along with all school communities, welcomed the end of covid protocols such as mask wearing and pods, and a return to normal activities in schools. She noted that along with the withdrawal of covid restrictions came the withdrawal of the extra financial supports which were available to schools over the last couple of years. However, she said it was wonderful to see the return of in person assemblies and back to school services and the board looked forward to welcoming back the Diocesan Service for Primary and Junior Schools in Christ Church Cathedral on October 20. She said plans were also advancing for the return of the Patron’s Day.
But she said that significant challenges remained in the education sector over and above what the winter held in terms of covid. “Chief among them [is] the shortage of teachers, not just for substitution but in some cases for fixed term contracts and even for principal positions. The lack of available and affordable accommodation in the capital makes recruitment and retention of staff very difficult and is not a problem easily solved,” Canon Robinson stated.
The board commended the work done on a daily basis in schools by principals, teachers, SNAs, ancillary staff and boards of management. Canon Robinson paid tribute to members of the Board of Education and to Canon Paul Houston who retired having served the board for 22 years, most recently as chair of the executive and finance committee. She thanked him for his work and welcomed Andrew Forrest as the new chair of that committee. She said the board also bade farewell to the Very Revd Bruce Hayes who left the dioceses during the year having been appointed Dean of Waterford.
Synod members were informed that the board had made the decision to sell the residential property it owned in Arklow along with the adjoining old Carysfort Girls’ School. Canon Robinson noted that as a registered charity, good stewardship of the board’s assets continued to be a priority.
She highlighted a number of grants including the Ralph Macklin Endowment/Love’s Charity and Gardiner’s Charity funds and the financial support available to students undertaking the PME who intend to teach R.E. in a secondary school within the United Dioceses.
She thanked parishes for their support and thanked Canon Adrienne Galligan (Hon Sec of the Exective and Finance Committee) and Christine Richardson (Secretary and Accounting Officer) for their hard work during the year.
Speaking to the report John Aiken of the Kings Hospital School thanked the Archbishop for his support of schools in the dioceses during covid.