1927-1928 - Department of Education and Skills

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ATTENDANCE.
The pupils' attendance is satisfactory. It is not usual to keep children at
'home without a reason. A few parents do so, but they constitute a very small
mumber. Children attend the schools in the large towns, particularly the convent
schools at too early an age. Children who begin school at three years of age are
'11C further advanced at the age of eight than those who begin at five. Perhaps if
-we had very good kindergarten facilities there might be no objection to sending
young children to school, but such facilities are seldom available in our schools.
Children leave school at too early an age, and it would be well if this could be
'remedied. Promotion from one class to another has not been sufficiently rapid,
but the inspectors have been giving close attention to the matter for some time.
and recently there has been an improvement.
THE TEACHERS, THE PROGRAMME, &c.
No important change has been effected during the year in the rating of teachers.
'This was the first year that the new districts came into being, and there were new
anspectors in many of the districts. Some of the schools, only, were inspected.
In my opinion there was no deterioration in the school work; neither, perhaps,
was there any decided improvement. .
Good work was done at Irish, but nothing more was accomplished than in any
previous year.
It is seldom one finds the entire Infants' Programme taught. The children
use 'books, since their parents do not wish them to be without them. They learn
writing and a small or large amount of English. Schools in which the whole
Infants' Programme is in operation fall short of the requirements, as Irish is not
always used as the teaching medium in the higher classes.
English is taught as well as ever.
"The Mathematical Programme is not yet taught in a satisfactory manner.
This programme is not understood very well. Any school which makes an attempt
to do so, succeeds quite well, and the pupils like the programme very much.
Arithmetic itself might be improved without much difficulty. Pupils are given
no .practice at answering questions orally, or at devising methods themselves to
solve problems. They do not always understand the reason which underlies
each step of a solution.
The schools have not much time to give to Geography and History. The
amount of Geography taught is of little value. History is better. It is associated
with reading, with songs, etc. The teacher who knows this subject and who takes
a pleasure in teaching it can accomplish much. A considerable number of teachers
do a lot of useful 'Work at History, particularly those who are interested in local
history.
Singing does not receive sufficient attention.
A large number of schools are attempting Rural Science.
The schools which taught Cookery received a good report from the Organisers;
and the few schools which taught Mathematics as an additional subject were
ver y successful.
TRANSLATION OF REPORT AT PAGE 48.
IRISH.
Teaching.-In thegreat majority of the schools the teaching of Irish continues
to progress in a highly satisfactory manner, continuous improvement being noted
in regard to both fhe teachers' knowledge of the language and the methods of
instruction in use. The upward movement has been assisted by the advance 111
-the attainments of pupils coming to the secondary schools from primary schools
-operating under the Department.
Several of the ,