School in dire need of extension
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TERMONFECKIN National School is in dire need of a four to sixroom extension, borne out by the latest statistics released from the Department of Education. The small national school has fewer than 300 pupils, but last year, 71 of those were in classes of up to 40, 99 in the 30-34 bracket and 79 in classes up to 30.
'We received another prefab during the summer to try and ease the numbers, but that is less than ideal,' says principal E a m o n MacConcharraige.
'The figures this year are roughly the same as last year, although we have had to split the junior infants class into two to try and make it easier for the teachers.
What is needed,
says the principal, is a solid extension, and a hall that can hold all the pupils at once.
'We are in the lucky position of having ample space for an extension, yet we have been waiting years for word on our application,' he added.
' We even had architects measure up in 2007, but have heard nothing since.'
At the moment, it is not possible to hold an assembly for the whole school, and the village has no community hall.
'If we want to do annual plays, we have to stagger them,' says Mr MacConcharraige, 'and it would be good if the local community could get use from it too.
'Last year, we had to hold psychological tests in the caretaker's room, and the English language class in the staffroom, but this year we've lost that teacher.'
- Alison COMYN
