Sir, - I wish to endorse the sentiment expressed by Tony Humphrys (E&L, September 18th) that "next to parenting teaching is the most important profession in the country".
What was not said but which is all too apparent to those working in education is that parenting skills are less and less in evidence as time goes by. The reasons for this are many and varied, including the economic, social and cultural situation of the parents. This places an additional burden on an already demoralised and under-resourced teaching profession.
One way in which the Department of Education and Science could start to address the needs of both parents and teachers would be to grant every school an ex-quota home-school-community liaison co-ordinator.
Such a move would also give some credibility to the concepts of strategic alliances and partnership espoused in so many Government policies.- Yours, etc.,
Deirdre Mac Donald, Drumgoold Lower, Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.