Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 12 Dec 2000

Vol. 528 No. 1

Adjournment Debate. - Teacher Training Colleges.

Mr. Perry

There are 600 students, full time and part time, in St. Angela's College, Sligo. The full-time courses include B.Ed in home economics and biology or religious education, BA in economic and social studies and diplomas in nursing. Part-time courses range from MA programmes to diplomas and certificates. The potential to develop other courses in home economics and related areas such as food and textiles as well as education is huge.

These courses provide university education in the north-west and it is critical for the future development of the region that this issue is considered closely. Nevertheless, the Department of Education and Science only recognises the B.Ed degree. With the total transfer of nursing to the college in 2002 as well as the continued provision of other courses, recognition by the Minister of all courses and the potential for the development of future courses is imperative.

Why does the Department of Education and Science continue to cap the intake to the B.Ed degree at St. Angela's? The college has an excellent reputation for the delivery of this degree course and for the quality of teachers who graduate from the programme. The degree is the professional and academic qualification designed to provide participants with the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for teaching home economics, biology and religious education in the post-primary. community and post-compulsory sectors. Graduates of the college have an excellent employment record.

St. Angela's is the only teacher education col lege north of a line from Dublin to Galway. As such, it is a key provider of teacher education on a regional and national basis. The existing B.Ed programme also lends itself to further expansion and the development of courses in related areas. Demand for the B.Ed degree, according to first preference figures, exceeds the number of places by five to one and it attracts students from all over the country. Additionally, there is an annual application of more than 1,200 students for 25 available places. There is considerable scope for the college to build on the over-demand and for the B.Ed degree in terms of course provision and to increase intake into the programme, based on demand for places by school leavers and the shortfall of qualified teachers. The development of the college is also important to the region.

This matter must be addressed immediately. The school of nursing will be transferred next year and the need for funding to develop the college is critical. The North Western Health Board and Cregg House are committed to transferring nursing education to St. Angela's. A development plan is currently being assessed. It is important that a budgetary allocation is made for the upgrading of facilities at St. Angela's.

The Minister of State has visited St. Angela's College. The college is linked to NUI, Galway, and has joint accreditation. The college is currently negotiating with NUI, Galway, and the institute of technology in Sligo to decide on the best way forward. Of the 600 students in St. Angela's, 100 are funded by the Department. It is also important that this matter is examined.

An impressive range of courses is offered in St. Angela's. Degree courses in home economics, diploma and degree courses in nursing and masters degrees in education are available. The adult and continuing education programme includes certificate courses in services and business studies, certificate and diploma courses in health promotion, certificate and diploma courses in the psychology of counselling, certificate and diploma courses in social care, a diploma course in archaeology and higher diplomas in religious education and chaplaincy studies.

It is important that the Department recognises these courses and gives appropriate funding for them and for the new school of nursing which will be located in the college. St. Angela's has a long history of developing innovative education programmes to meet emerging trends and to provide access to third level education to students from all over Ireland.

I appeal to the Minister of State to respond favourably to this important issue for the development and growth of the north-west and to give recognition to the role of St. Angela's College.

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science (Mr. Treacy)

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter in the House and I am glad to have an opportunity to respond to this issue on behalf of the Department of Education and Science.

St. Angela's College, Lough Gill, Sligo, is a private institution owned by the Ursuline order. It is one of two colleges recognised by my Department for providing a home economics teacher training course – St. Catherine's College, Sion Hill, Blackrock, County Dublin, is the other. The course is of four years duration and leads to the award of a B.Ed degree in home ecomomics Each college has a total of 100 full-time students on this course. My Department pays an annual grant to St. Angela's to cover approved B.Ed training course expenditure not met by the college's own income.

The future of these colleges was to have been considered in the context of the outcome of the review of the steering committee on the future development of higher education. The president of St. Angela's, Sr. Marianne O'Connor, was a member of the committee representing the specialist colleges.

However, when the committee issued its report in June 1995, it had not completed its examination of specialist teacher requirements, that is, home economics, art, music etc., which had been part of its remit. It recommended, however, that both the Department of Education and Science and the Higher Education Authority should jointly pursue a further necessary review and analysis. In May 1996 the then Minister for Education and Science requested the Higher Education Authority to reconvene the advisory group on the supply of and demand for second level teachers with revised terms of reference, focusing inter alia, on the determination of specialist teacher needs outside the higher diploma in education programme. The terms of reference also sought recommendations on the required intake by subject type.

As part of the work of the group a number of analyses was conducted, including a survey of graduates of the home economics colleges in 1992, 1993 and 1994. The review was concluded in June 1998 and recommended that the intake to St. Angela's and St. Catherine's colleges of education remain at the then combined level of 53 students per annum.

I concur with what Deputy Perry said. I was pleased to have been of assistance to St. Angela's in the past. The Department sanctioned grant aid for the college and I attended the opening of its major extension. I was also pleased to be of assistance to Cregg House. Both institutions do tremendous work and I wish them continued success. I believe they will continue to play an integral part in the education of graduates, particularly in home economics.