asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the widespread dissatisfaction among second-level teachers because of the unavailability of any recognised course for them in computer studies in view of the fact that computer studies will be a leaving certificate subject shortly; and the steps he proposes to take to remedy this situation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Computer Studies.
15.
In-service courses in computer science have been a feature of my Department's recognised inservice courses for a number of years, and I have made special provision to increase very substantially the number of such courses in 1981.
The Departmental committee which I set up to advise me on the question of introducing computer studies into the curriculum of post-primary schools, expect to be in a position to make recommendations by the end of 1981 on the qualifications of teachers and other relevant considerations.
Am I right in stating that these courses are about to start in second level education in September 1981? I should like to know what courses are recommended by the Minister's Department for the training of teachers for that particular year.
During 1980 the following course were organised by the CESI, that is the computer group; Maynooth for beginners; Cork for beginners and intermediate; Dublin College of Marketing and Design, beginners and intermediate; Limerick National Institute for Higher Education; Dublin UCD; Dublin College of Business and Technical Studies, Crumlin. These are the courses and, as I have said, I am expanding those for 1981.
Will the teachers be available for colleges which apply for the 1981 season? My information is that there is none available.
For the courses?
Not for the courses—to teach in schools.
There will, yes. That is the whole purpose of the in-service courses.
Will the Minister give a guarantee at this stage that these teachers will be available for any schools which apply?
I think so, yes.
The Minister thinks so. Well, my information is that they are not available.
Of course, I do not know what the Deputy's information is.
A final supplementary.
Could the Minister give us the number of teachers now trained in this particular course throughout the country?
I do not think that the Deputy asked me for that information but I will get for him the numbers and the numbers that we will be training during 1981. As the Deputy knows, there is a part of the leaving certificate course already on computers. It is optional at the moment, but we hope to develop it. There is a committee sitting at the moment on the whole business, as I mentioned in my reply.
A final supplementary, Deputy FitzGerald.
The Minister's first reply was unambiguous, then he modified it by saying "I think so".
Well, the point is——
May we take it that as the unambiguous reply came first, it has not been modified by the words "I think so"?
The point is that if, for example, the Christian Brothers in Enniscorthy look for teachers for computer science, they will have to fit them into their ordinary numbers of staff and so on. If they have a teacher who takes the specially designed course, he will be able to start teaching computer science in the 1981-82 season.