Secondary schools around the county are engaged in a “dog eat dog” battle to retain student numbers so as not to lose teachers or vital grants from the Department of Education – in complete contrast to their counterparts in the city which are oversubscribed.

Many secondary school principals across the county visit primary schools in their catchment areas and do elaborate power point presentations in an effort to attract first year students.

The pupils in the primary schools are often brought gifts like pens or little notepads with the secondary school’s name and crest on them.
Open days at the secondary schools have become more elaborate with the staff ‘pushing the boat out’ to impress parents and potential first year students.

“If we have a decent science lab, for example, then we get other students to carry out impressive looking experiments for the visiting children as a means of attracting them.

“Equally if we have a good music class, we will put on a mini-concert for the parents and children to show some of the talent we can produce and this often has the desired effect,” one Galway secondary school principal told The Connacht Tribune.

A number of schools contacted said that they go all out to impress on their open days or evenings in an effort to maintain their student numbers as well as teaching staff in the wake of proposed cuts to career guidance.

See full story in this week's Connacht Tribune.