Vol. 512 No. 8
123 Mr. Neville asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will grant financial assistance to student teachers while on teaching practice in view of the added expense; and if he will outline his policy on this matter. [27335/99]
The position in relation to teaching practice is that it is not a paid activity in any institution but rather is viewed as training rather than employment. It is an integral part of the curriculum of the degree programmes in education and there is no special financial assistance available to students for this aspect of their course.
I would point out that teacher education programmes provided in approved third level colleges, are approved courses for the purposes of the higher education grants scheme. Under the terms of that scheme, grantholders who are required to participate in off-campus placement as an integral part of their course may have their grant entitlement paid in the normal manner. Where the college requires a grantholder in receipt of the adjacent rate of grant to relocate from his-her residence in order to undertake a placement of not less than one academic term-semester, the non-adjacent rate of grant may be paid for the duration of such placement. Accordingly, student teachers who are eligible for grant assistance continue to receive their entitlements while undertaking teaching practice.
