Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 30 Jan 2001

Vol. 529 No. 1

Written Answers. - Teaching Qualifications.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

1158 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of persons in permanent and temporary posts in respect of teachers with limited recognition who are teaching in primary schools; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that schools serving disadvantaged communities have had particular difficulty in recruiting fully recognised teachers; the num ber and proportion of these teachers who are qualified post-primary teachers; the typical qualifications of others with limited recognition; if he will consider appropriate conversion or qualification courses to allow such persons become fully recognised primary teachers; the discussions in which he is engaged on this matter with representatives of teacher unions, school management bodies and colleges of education; if he has received representations on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the issue of teacher supply, recognition and qualification courses. [1206/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded directly to him.

The Government has taken effective action to boost substantially the supply of trained primary teachers and to alleviate the current supply difficulties. The total intake to the colleges of education for primary teaching in the 1999-2000 academic year was increased to 1,283. This compares to an intake of 500 in 1996-7. There are approximately 1,000 students enrolled in the first year of the undergraduate training course in the 2000-01 academic year. A further postgraduate course will commence in the near future with a proposed intake of 280 students, bringing the total to 1,280.

The intake to the undergraduate training course for primary teachers will continue at the current level of 1,000 for the 2001-02 academic year. Between the 2000 and 2001 academic years, it is projected that approximately 1,900 qualified primary teachers will graduate from the colleges of education. This represents a huge increase in the number of trained graduates compared to 1995 when 291 graduated. As a response to a shortage in the supply of primary teachers, my Department requested the colleges of education to provide postgraduate courses to enable degree holders train as primary teachers. The duration of the postgraduate full-time course is 18 months. Eligible post-primary teachers may apply for this course in the normal way. These courses were provided in the 1995-6, 1997-8, 1998-9 and 1999-2000 academic years.

All aspects of primary teacher training are the subject of ongoing review between my Department and the colleges of education. The management bodies and the INTO are aware that there are a number of factors which affect the demand for primary teachers and aggravate the shortage. These include the number of teachers opting to take a career break; the number of secondments approved; and the age at which teachers opt to retire on a voluntary basis. In addition, the Government has increased demand for teachers generally by creating an extra 1,875 posts to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio and increase support for children with a disability or disadvantage. There are no proposals at present to provide any other type of conversion courses other than the full-time 18 month postgraduate courses.

Other initiatives to increase the number of trained personnel have also been introduced. B.Ed. graduates of St. Mary's College, Belfast, who have studied Irish to honours level as an academic subject as part of their teaching qualification are now recognised as fully qualified. Since September 1998, all primary degree holders who hold the higher diploma in education are paid as fully trained substitute teachers. In the current academic year, teachers employed in a temporary capacity holding a degree and the higher diploma in education are paid on the trained basic scale for teachers.

Teachers trained in EU countries employed in primary schools are now remunerated at the trained rate pending their obtaining the necessary competence in the Irish language. EU trained teachers previously had to acquire the necessary competence in the Irish language within three years of their first appointment to a primary school. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that I have provided that these teachers now have up to five years to obtain the necessary competence in the language. In addition, for the period of two years from 1 September 2000, teachers trained outside the EU whose qualifications are accepted by my Department will be granted provisional recognition for five years on the same basis as EU trained teachers.

Montessori trained teachers who successfully completed the course of three years duration at St. Nicholas, Dún Laoghaire, which is recognised by the National Council for Educational Awards, are also recognised as being fully qualified substitute teachers. These Montessori trained teachers are also granted restricted recognition to teach in a temporary or permanent capacity in certain special schools and special classes.

The decision to grant fully qualified teachers, who trained outside the State, restricted recognition to teach in certain categories of schools and classes without the necessity to hold an Irish language qualification is also contributing to an improvement in the supply of trained primary teachers.