Kate Relihan’s son Matthew began to flourish during his first year in secondary school when he discovered a passion for woodwork and metalwork after entering Coolmine Community School in Dublin 15.
In second year, however, all that progress stopped.
Since September the school has been unable to fill vacancies in teaching posts for these subjects despite numerous attempts to advertise and source qualified teachers.
“He did so well in them, he really got a chance to shine,” says Ms Relihan. “But there has been a total loss of practical subjects for all current first- and second-year students since September.
“Mathew has been sitting in free periods for those subjects ever since. I’m devastated for him – and angry. I think it is damaging the mental health of students who will have to race to catch up on the curriculum and are deprived of following their passion... It is also significantly interrupting the Junior and Leaving Certificate curriculum for exam-year students.”
Coolmine Community School, like many others schools across the country, has struggled to fill key teaching posts due to a crisis in supply that is hitting large urban areas hardest.
Trish McPhillips, the school principal, says she has never experienced the kind of difficulties that the school has faced this year in recruiting qualified teaching staff.
The housing crisis in the capital, she says, was a key factor behind the decision of three of its teachers to relocate outside of Dublin and take up teaching posts in areas where accommodation is cheaper.
“I don’t ever recall things being so difficult,” she said. “This is my 12th year as a principal, and I’ve lost sleep over this... it is soul-destroying. The hardest part is not being able to deliver the quality of education that you’ve committed to students – and their parents.”
A group of parents, teachers and past pupils have come together to support the school. The Coolmine Community School Action Group says it wants to focus attention on what it describes as a “crisis point” in children’s second-level education due to teacher shortages.
[ Teacher shortages: Most secondary schools unable to fill key posts - surveyOpens in new window ]
It recently held an online meeting with local politicians and teaching union leaders and has issued a set of “grassroots demands” to the Government. These include a fast-track approach for those in industry and further education to work as teachers; providing access to training for woodwork and metalwork teachers in Dublin (it is currently only in Limerick and Letterfrack); and a “Dublin allowance” for teachers.
“The school is wonderful,” says Ms Relihan. “They are trying their absolute best... this is affecting so many other schools. We just want an opportunity for our children to shine.”
