Labour education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny has called on the Minister for Education to address the growing workload facing school principals.
The Labour TD was speaking following new research from DCU, which reported that 86% of principals are experiencing moderate-to-high levels of work-related burnout.
Kenny said “these findings should concern everyone who cares about the future of our schools. More than half of principals surveyed are working over 50 hours a week, while almost 70% report being unable to take their annual leave.”
“Principals take on these roles because they want to support their staff and give children the best possible education. But too much of their time is now being swallowed up by administration and responsibilities that have accumulated over many years. We need to make sure principals have the time to actually lead their schools,” he said.
Kenny, who was a teacher prior to becoming a TD, said that school leadership needs to be “properly resourced” and that schools should be able to share responsibilities.
He said that Labour has “consistently” called for the restoration of leadership and middle-management posts, which he said can help ensure every new responsibility “does not simply end up on the principal’s desk.”
“The findings on special educational needs are also important. Almost eight in ten school leaders identified the demands associated with leading SEN provision as affecting their wellbeing. The answer is not less inclusion, but better support for schools to deliver it properly,” he noted.
“That is why Labour’s Alternative Budget provided €7.1 million to develop dedicated Special Educational Needs Coordinator posts across primary schools over two years, giving schools greater capacity to coordinate increasingly complex provision,” Kenny explained.
“We also need particular attention on teaching principals in smaller schools, who are expected to lead and administer a school while continuing to teach a class.
“I am asking the Minister to review the administrative burden on principals and begin restoring leadership and middle-management capacity across our schools,” the Cork TD said.