Classes getting bigger

Steady Rise in Class Sizes

The pupil to teacher ratio in state primary schools in January 1997 was 23.4 to 1. This compares to 23.2 a year ago, and 21.9 in 1987.

Classes in secondary schools are smaller, but number have also increased, rising from 15.8 in 1987, to 16.7 this year.

The Department of Education and Employment has revealed that according to the provisional Schools' census figures, the number of pupils in maintained nursery, primary, and secondary schools has risen by 0.9% between 1996 and 97. In the same period the number of teachers rose by 0.1%.

The number of children taught in nursery classes has has consistently fallen from 19.4% in 1987, to 10.3% last year, and 18.8% in 1997.