Reference Guide Briefing:
The education system in numbers Number of full-time students in institutions aided by the Department of Education, 2019/2020
Number of teachers/academic staff in institutions aided by the Department of Education
Level First Level
Level
Students 567,716
Primary Schools
559,365
Special Schools
8,351
Second Level (excluding PLC students)
371,450
Secondary
201,778
Vocational
108,303
Community and Comprehensive
61,369
Second-level Students in PLC Courses
24,161
Number of Teaching Staff (Full-time Equivalent Posts) 2018/19 2019/20
First Level All Sceond Level Second Level Excluding PLC PLC
No. of teachers/academic staff 2018/19 2017/18 37,341 37,839 30,062 30,623 28,474 29,122 1,588 1,501
Number of schools aided by the Department of Education 2016/2017 2018/19
2019/20
First Level
3,240
3,240
Primary Schools (Mainstream)
3,106
3,106
Special Schools
134
134
First Level
37,341
37,839
Second Level
30,062
30,623
Second Level
722
723
Second Level excluding PLC
28,474
29,122
Secondary
378
381
1,588
1,501
Vocational
248
246
96
96
3,962
3,963
PLC
Overview of Pupil-Teacher Ratio at First and Second Level 2018/19 2019/20 First Level
15.2
15.0
Second Level
13.0
12.9
Second Level excluding PLC
12.7
12.7
PLC
18.5
16.1
School Size at First and Second Level in 2019/2020
Community and Comprehensive Total
The Pupil Teacher Ratio in National Schools Total enrolment in all national schools (at the start of the school year) Total number of allocated posts (as at the 30th June in the given school year)
2018/19
2019/20
567,772
567,716
37,341
37,839
15.2
15.0
553,319
552,543
First Level
Second Level
Fewer than 50 pupils
578
10
50 – 99
673
15
Total enrolment in mainstream classes
100 – 199
742
63
Teaching teachers of mainstream classes
22,747
22,970
200 - 299
546
93
300 - 499
429
183
Average class size in mainstream classes
24.3
24.1
2018 62,562 57,150
2019 64,331 58,787
51,445 2,556 439 2,710 119,712
52,965 2,726 380 2,716 123,118
500+
138
359
Total
3,106
723
Expenditure per Student (euro 2015 prices) 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Primary 6,418 6,417 6,326 6,005 6,295
Secondary 8,860 8,939 8,320 8,115 8,257
Third Level 9,223 8,721 8,194 7,591 7,576
Pupil-teacher ratio in all national schools
Public Examination Candidates Junior Certificate Candidates Leaving Certificate Candidates of which Leaving Certificate School Candidates External Candidates VTOS/PLC Candidates Leaving Certificate Applied Total Exam Candidates
Past Enrolments of Full-time Students in Institutions Aided by Department of Education & Skills Level
1979/1980
1989/1990
1999/2000
2009/2010
2019/2020
First Level
547,431
552,182
444,310
505,998
567,716
Second Level (excludes PLC)
292,280
339,649
330,482
312,159
371,450
-
-
24,337
38,528
24,161
839, 711
891,831
799,129
856,685
963,327
PLC Total (includes PLC figure, where applicable)
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