Jail has better teacher ratio than schools
ANGER: Prison class size sparks anger
Tuesday November 17 2009
Inmates in education at an Irish prison are benefiting from class sizes that are less than a fifth of the average at the country's primary schools.
Prisoners at Portlaoise jail are enjoying a student-teacher ratio of just five to one, compared with average class sizes of 28 in primary and 19 in post-primary education.
The hugely disproportionate figures have been described as "indefensible and wrong" by a Fine Gael councillor.
The figures were released by the Department of Education following a Dail question.
Minister of State Sean Haughey told Fine Gael TD Brian Hayes there were 113 prisoners in Portlaoise on November 2 this year, with 20 teachers allocated to the prison by Co Laois VEC.
Cllr Hayes tabled the question at the request of South Dublin county councillor Derek Keating (FG).
Security
"The prison is a high-security facility and there are a number of different categories of prisoners who must be kept separate from each other in designated areas of the prison," the Minister said.
"Two groups attend classes in the Education Centre, but due to the type of offender involved, the numbers allowed in each class are strictly controlled. Teachers are required to deliver educational services to the other groups in their designated areas."
Cllr Keating said it was wrong that the generous teacher allocation at the prison was unchanged despite cutbacks in the education system.
"I'm not suggesting that there shouldn't be education for people in prison but here is evidence that the cuts are not equal. The Minister seems to be defending it and I don't think it's defendable.
"Prisoners need to be rehabilitated, but we have to focus on how we educate children."
aphelan@herald.ie
- Andrew Phelan
