Vol. 543 No. 4
181 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of career guidance teachers; and the cost of in-service training provided to career guidance teachers by his Department or other State funded agencies. [27372/01]
There are currently in the order of 630 whole time equivalent approved career guidance posts in second level schools. In the current financial year, the in-career development unit of my Department has approved £50,000 towards in- career development of career guidance teachers. This includes a grant of £20,000 to support the MSc. full-time course in guidance counselling in Trinity College Dublin which is designed for guidance counsellors serving in second level schools.
The National Centre for Technology in Education – NCTE – has developed an ICT training course for guidance teachers in conjunction with the National Centre for Guidance in Education – NCGE – and the Institute of Guidance Counsellors – ICG. The courses were provided through the Education Centre Network at an estimated cost in the current financial year of £100,000. Actual costing in this regard will not be available until the end of 2001.
