Vol. 574 No. 1
305 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if exemptions exist to allow a person, who has worked in a national school as a substitute teacher for six years, who trained and qualified as a primary school teacher in England and who worked in a primary school in Northern Ireland for six years, but who has marginally failed the Irish exam twice, to qualify as a primary school teacher; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26480/03]
Teachers in national schools are generalists rather than subject specialists and must be qualified to teach the range of primary school subjects to children aged four to 12 years. Accordingly, applicants must satisfy the Department of Education and Science that they are competent to teach the Irish language and to teach the range of primary school curricular subjects through the medium of Irish before being granted full recognition to teach in mainstream classes in national schools.
Teachers trained outside the jurisdiction of the State, whose qualifications have been assessed and accepted by my Department, but who do not possess an appropriate Irish language qualification, are granted a five year period of provisional recognition to teach in mainstream classes in national schools. During this period these teachers are expected to obtain their Irish language qualification in order to become fully recognised. These teachers are remunerated in the same manner as fully qualified teachers during this period.
Holders of provisional recognition must pass the written, aural and oral parts of an examination in the Irish language An Scrúdú le hAghaidh Cailíochta sa Ghaeilge, SCG, in order to be granted full recognition to teach in mainstream classes in national schools. In addition, they must provide certification that they have resided in the Gaeltacht while attending an approved three-week course. Exemption from the SCG 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.
306 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of people sitting the Irish exam to qualify as a primary school teacher for each year for the past three years; the number failing the exam for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26481/03]
Following are the number of teachers who entered for the Scrúdú le hAghaidh Cailíochta sa Ghaeilge, SCG, examinations for the last three years: in 2001, 334 applicants; in 2002, 432; in 2003, 599. The failure rates – % – for each section of the SCG for the past three years were as follows: in 2001, paper 1, 43%, paper 2, 46.1%, aural 30.4%, oral 39.1%; in 2002, paper 1, 36.4%, Paper 2, 54.4%, aural 22.6%, oral 45.6%; in 2003 – April**, paper 1, 72.1%, paper 2, 73.1%, aural 70.5%, oral 50.6%.
**Results are not yet available for the examinations held in October 2003.
