Teaching Qualifications.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2005

Tuesday, 29 November 2005

Questions (442, 443)

Enda Kenny

Question:

431 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science the essential qualifications required for all persons wishing to teach mathematics at second level education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36395/05]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

A second level teacher must hold, in addition to the required teacher training, a suitable primary degree or equivalent award, from a nationally recognised university or similar third level college, which is adequate to enable the holder to teach to the highest level at least one subject from the second level schools curriculum. The duration of such a degree programme must be at least three years of full-time study or equivalent. A suitable degree for the purposes of teaching mathematics to the highest level, that is, to leaving certificate higher level, is one where a person has studied mathematics as a major subject in the degree extending over at least three years. The criteria by which qualifications are assessed for the purpose of teaching individual subjects, including mathematics, are set out in the document on the general requirements and subject specific criteria for teachers of recognised subjects and additional requirements for specialist teaching posts in mainstream post-primary education, which is available on my Department's website at the following address: http://www.education.ie/servlet/blobservlet/rcst_qualification_requirements.doc?language=EN.

Qualifications already approved, and the subject or subjects for which they are recognised, are set out in the Registration Council booklet Appointment to an incremental position in a Secondary School — Necessity for approval of qualifications by the Registration Council. This booklet is available on my Department's website at the following address: http://www.education.ie/servlet/ blobservlet/rcst_auto_cov.doc?language=EN.

Joan Burton

Question:

432 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of students who have sat an scrúdú le haghaidh cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge each year from 1998 to date in 2005; the number of students who have passed; the number of students who have failed; the number of times students have had to repeat some or part of the exam; the cost to the Department of these exams; and the number of students in any of these groups that qualified as teachers outside the State. [36402/05]

Minister for Education and Science (Ms Hanafin)

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, scrúdú le haghaidh cáilíochta sa Ghaeilge, SCG, in order to become fully recognised. They must also provide certification that they have resided in the Gaeltacht while attending an approved three-week course or its aggregated equivalent.

The following tables detail the number of candidates who sat for, passed and failed the SCG examination from 1998 to date in 2005. Information on the number of times candidates repeat some or part of the examination is not readily available in my Department. Such a breakdown would require an inordinate amount of official time to prepare. Up to 2004, my Department was responsible for administering the SCG examination. The cost each year has been in the order of €100,000. In 2005, Coláiste Mhuire Marino was responsible for the SCG examination. My Department is making a contribution of the order of €306,000 to Coláiste Mhuire towards the costs involved. It should be noted that this contribution includes provision for the once-off costs associated with the development of courses, the training of tutors and the provision of materials etc. in addition to the cost of running the examination. My Department also funds the Education Centre Network, 21 full-time centres and nine part-time centres to deliver local courses based on locally identified needs and Irish language courses form a part of this local course provision.

SCG May 1998.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
All	141	56	85

SCG April 1999.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
All	93	23	70

Modular Examinations Introduced.

SCG October 1999.
Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	38	13	25
Paper 2	34	7	27
Aural	35	13	22
Oral	34	15	19

SCG May 2000.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	134	61	73
Paper 2	124	48	76
Aural	131	62	69
Oral	123	65	58

SCG October 2000.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	53	29	24
Paper 2	47	24	23
Aural	62	28	34
Oral	52	33	19

SCG April 2001

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	154	92	62
Paper 2	126	78	48
Aural	152	113	39
Oral	133	80	53

SCG October 2001.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	83	33	50
Paper 2	52	18	34
Aural	62	36	26
Oral	82	51	31

SCG April 2002.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	171	111	60
Paper 2	128	63	65
Aural	156	143	13
Oral	134	83	51

SCG October 2002.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	109	67	42
Paper 2	89	36	53
Aural	78	38	40
Oral	118	54	64

SCG April 2003.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	197	45	152
Paper 2	171	46	125
Aural	190	56	134
Oral	164	81	83

SCG October 2003.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	168	52	116
Paper 2	142	54	88
Aural	174	52	122
Oral	152	52	100

SCG April 2004.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	254	142	112
Paper 2	237	149	88
Aural	259	131	128
Oral	226	113	113

SCG October 2004.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	194	67	127
Paper 2	192	79	113
Aural	204	104	100
Oral	205	133	72

SCG March 2005.

Modules	Candidates	Pass	Fail
Paper 1	308	241	67
Paper 2	295	258	37
Aural	320	259	61
Oral	279	242	37