Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 5 Feb 2002

Vol. 547 No. 3

Written Answers. - Teaching Qualifications.

Pat Rabbitte

Question:

443 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Science the categories of teacher which are exempt from examination in relation to the Cáilíocht examination for primary teachers trained outside the State; if the exemption applies to those with leaving certificate honours Gaeilge, or with a primary degree in Gaeilge; if one or all of the examination modules contains an oral element examination; the numbers who have passed modules one, two and three of the examination; the numbers who passed any module at the October 2001 sitting; the number of candidates who are entered for the next sitting; the support given by his Department to persons undertaking a programme of preparation for the examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3676/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

Exemption from the Scrúdú Cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge examination is granted to teachers who have qualified as primary teachers in St. Mary's College, Belfast, having successfully completed the four years honours academic Irish course. Furthermore, a full exemption also applies to teachers who have completed their postgraduate certificate in education through the medium of Irish in that college. To receive full recognition as a primary teacher in this State, graduates from either of the above courses must also satisfy the Gaeltacht requirements for full recognition as a primary teacher, that is, they must provide certification to my Department that they have resided in the Gaeltacht while attending an approved three week Irish language course or its aggregated equivalent.

Candidates who have Irish to primary degree level may be granted exemption from paper 2 of the SCG examination. However, candidates do not qualify for any exemption on foot of holding leaving certificate honours Gaeilge. Circular 25/00, which issued to all schools in 2000, gives further information relating to the process of recognition of teachers trained abroad and to applying to sit the SCG examination.

The SCG examination is held twice annually and consists of four separate modules, an oral examination; an aural examination; paper 1 – composition; grammar; written comprehension; paper 2 – the teaching of Irish; literature; cultural aspects.

At the October 2001 sitting of the examination, 82 candidates achieved a pass in one or more modules of the examination; 32 candidates passed paper 1; 19 passed paper 2; 37 passed the aural examination; and 50 passed the oral examination. The number of candidates who will enter for the next sitting of the SCG in April is not yet known.

Courses in Irish, catering specifically for candidates for the SCG, are provided through the Education Centre Network. I also recently established a working group to review the syllabus and examination for the SCG. This review will involve two stages, a short-term review and a long-term review. It is intended that a report arising from the short-term review will be completed by the end of this month and the long-term review will be completed in the autumn of 2002.