asked the Minister for Education if he will consider recognising as trained teachers junior assistant mistresses who have had twenty years' or more practical teaching experience.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Junior Assistant Mistresses.
104.
Qualification as trained national teacher is accorded only to persons who have successfully completed a course of training in a recognised training college. Teaching experience in an untrained capacity could not be regarded as equivalent to a comprehensive training course. I do not therefore propose to accord the status of trained teacher to junior assistant mistresses who have had twenty years' or more practical teaching experience.
Many schools are now staffed by junior assistant mistresses who are untrained but who were rated highly efficient while that grading was there over the past twenty years. Surely a teacher who is highly efficient for that period should be on at least the same footing as a trained teacher just qualified?
That is where we differ in our opinions.
Would the Minister not look into it?
I have, and my opinion is that practice as an untrained teacher would not be the same as intensive training.
I do not see that it matters to the pupil after the teacher has had 20 years' experience.
Question No. 105 postponed.