Written Answers. - Teaching Qualifications.
John Perry
Question:
267
Mr. Perry
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
if his attention has been drawn to the fact that at present graduates can take a course of 18 months duration in the various teacher training colleges which qualifies them to teach in a primary school; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that due to the shortages of trained primary teachers the INTO has approached his Department and the teacher training colleges to develop a shorter course of about six months duration for graduates who have a higher diploma in education and who may already be working as substitutes in primary schools; when his Department will sanction the course in view of the fact that training colleges have agreed to make their facilities available for such a course and taking into consideration the shortages of teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[10907/02]
At present, the courses run in the State that allow for appointment to a permanent post in a primary school are the Bachelor of Education degree and the full-time 18-month graduate diploma in primary teaching. Both of these courses are run in the Colleges of Education, which specialise in the training of primary teachers. The graduate diploma course was introduced as a response to a shortage in the supply of primary teachers and has been provided by the Colleges of Education for the past number of years. The most recent course commenced in February of this year. Discussions will be held in the near future with the Colleges of Education in relation to providing another course in 2003.
The present Government has taken effective action to boost substantially the supply of trained primary teachers and alleviate the current supply difficulties. As part of a range of initiatives to improve teacher supply, the intake to the B.Ed. programme in the Colleges of Education has been increased dramatically in recent years. Since 1999 more than 1,000 students have been admitted annually to the B.Ed. programme. This represents a doubling of the number admitted to the programme in 1996. The total intake to the Colleges of Education in the 2001-02 academic year was increased to a record 1,461. This compares with an intake of 500 in 1996-97. There are currently some 3,750 students enrolled and pursuing various stages of primary teacher training programmes in the Colleges of Education. The number of places made available on the graduate diploma courses since 1997 is 1,453.
Between 2001 and 2002 it is projected that some 2,300 qualified primary teachers will graduate from the Colleges of Education. This represents a huge increase in the number of trained graduates as compared with 1995 when 291 graduated. 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 H.Dip. in Education are paid as fully trained substitute teachers. Since September 2000, teachers employed in a temporary capacity holding a degree and the H.Dip. 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 Higher Education and Training Awards Council, 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. All aspects of primary teacher training are the subject of ongoing review between my Department and the Colleges of Education. My Department is also examining further options for addressing the teacher supply issue in consultation with relevant interests.
