School leadership roles have become unsustainable

Lack of system supports from the Department criticised.

At the INTO Congress in Killarney today, delegates instructed the Central Executive Committee (CEC) to explore how school leadership can be put on a sustainable footing.

Members shared examples of the toll the ever-increasing red tape and expectations on dedicated school leaders and how that is affecting the people running the country's schools.

Speakers on the motion highlighted the need for enhanced administrative supports including full-time secretaries who are properly remunerated with decent terms and conditions and a pilot scheme to be introduced for handover between principals.

Members also re-stated their call for the permanent retention of one release day per week for teaching principals to allow them to complete their administrative duties as they try to balance the role of both full-time teacher and principal.

Members furthermore called for the permanent retention of release days for deputy principals in larger schools.

Addressing delegates yesterday, Minister for Education, Norma Foley, committed to embedding the minimum of one release day per week for teaching principals, something long sought by the INTO and welcomed by its leadership.

Delegates demanded the restoration of posts of responsibility to all schools, to levels that existed prior to the moratorium on promotions imposed in 2009.

Congress further demanded that the Department of Education establish a centralised system for procurement for building work, health and safety matters and for setting up special classes.

INTO President Joe McKeown said school leaders are reaching “crisis point”.

“How many times do they have to come together like this and share their experiences of a role that has become simply unsustainable? The Department of Education must heed our member’s concern. This union is committed to delivering a strong middle management team to support our overworked school leaders.”

Siobhan Buckley, of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) outlined how, before Covid, a survey of 1,214 primary principals showed 60.3% reported poor psychological wellbeing and the vast majority were working in excess of 50 hours per week. The biggest source of stress for many was due to a lack of administrative support.

“15 years ago, an ad for a principalship would have attracted a double-digit number of applications. Whereas now, it could be as little as 2 or 3 and, in some cases, none at all. The bottom line is that in schools teachers see their principals burdened down with vast and significant responsibilities and they just don’t want the grief for themselves.

“It is high time that principals are recognised properly for the great work that they do and this motion outlines some of the ways that this can be done in the interests of making leadership more sustainable. They need to be relieved of some of the added responsibilities that have fallen to principals over the years and finally they need to be allowed the freedom to do what they do best and that is lead teaching and learning.”