Wednesday, 21 Nov 2012

Written Answers Nos. 78-84

Literacy Levels

Questions (78)

Nicky McFadden

Question:

78. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policies, programmes and practices in place to address the findings of the last international survey on adult literacy that showed one in four Irish adults have significant literacy difficulties; if he has considered the recent reports undertaken by Economic and Social Research Ireland and National Adult Literacy Agency on literacy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51718/12]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

I am aware of the findings of the reports prepared for NALA by the ESRI. Adult Literacy is a key priority for my Government and commitments have been included in the Programme for Government to reflect the importance of adults possessing adequate literacy skills to enhance their employment opportunities and well-being.

The international survey referred to by the Deputy was undertaken in 1995 and reported on in 1997. Since 1997, annual funding has increased from €1 million to €30 million in 2012. The annual number of participants has increased from 5,000 to over 56,000 in 2011. The adult literacy service is free and confidential. It is available as a stand-alone tuition programme in a variety of formats and for specific cohorts. Ireland is currently participating in the OECD Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies. The results of this survey will be available in October 2013.

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Questions (79)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

79. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that a person (details supplied) is not employed by the Special Education Support Service but is in fact on part-time secondment from a college. [51729/12]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Teachers continue to be employed by their Boards of Management while on secondment to work with the Special Education Support Service (SESS). There are eighteen full-time members on the SESS team together with one part-time specialist advisor.

Currently, the full-time members on the SESS team are seconded from their primary and post-primary schools. The part-time specialist advisor is on secondment from the college referred to by the Deputy.

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Questions (80)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

80. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to implement the recommendations of the National Council for Special Educators report into Evidence of Best Practice Models and Outcomes into the Education of Children with Emotional Disturbances and Behavioural Difficulties; the steps he has taken to implement the recommendation that behavioural psychologists and other psychology professionals have proposed to implement direct interventions with students with EBD within the school context. [51730/12]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that I welcome the publication of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) policy advice on the Education of Students with Severe Emotional Disturbance or Behavioural Disorders. The report makes recommendations as to how education can in the future best be provided for such children, while also ensuring minimal disruption for other pupils.

My Department will consider the recommendations of this report and will prepare a plan for the appropriate implementation of these recommendations, including the recommendation referred to by the Deputy, in the context of available resources. In the interim, schools will continue to be supported through the provision of additional resource teaching and special needs assistant support.

My Department also published earlier this year new Guidelines for Schools on Supporting Students with Behavioural, Emotional, and Social difficulties, which are available on my Departments website at www.education.ie. In addition, schools may also seek advice from the National Educational Psychological Service, their Special Educational Needs Organiser, or from the National Behavioural Support Service, on how children with behavioural needs can best be supported in schools.

Teaching Qualifications

Questions (81)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

81. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers working here who have a postgraduate qualification in ABA; the number of teachers who have received funding to study ABA at postgraduate level here; and if he will confirm that teachers who pursue a BCBA qualification must contract privately to have their work supervised. [51731/12]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department does not maintain records of the number of teachers who have obtained the qualifications to which the Deputy refers, nor is there a central record of teachers who have received funding for particular courses. I can however confirm that my Department, through the Special Education Support Service (SESS), has provided funding to two teachers towards the costs involved in studying ABA to post-graduate level. The supervision requirement for those pursuing a BCBA qualification is determined by the course provider.

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Questions (82)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

82. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstances under which a principal or teacher is obliged to implement the recommendations of a psychological or medical professional; and the circumstances which allow them to disregard these recommendations. [51732/12]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 (EPSEN) and Disability Acts set out clearly the role and functions of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) and their staff in carrying out assessments and with regard to the provision of services for children with special educational needs. Responsibility for deciding on the quantum of educational supports and resources to be allocated to schools, or to individual pupils, rests with the NCSE, in accordance with my Department's policy.

It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of resource teaching support to best support the needs of qualifying pupils, in accordance with my Departments guidance.

In general, all teachers have a duty of care to their students and each school authority should have in place appropriate practices and procedures to ensure the safety and protection of its pupils. The class teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in his/her class, including any pupil with a special educational need. In this task, the teacher may be supported by a learning support teacher and/or resource teacher. SNAs are allocated to schools to enable them to support pupils with disabilities who also have significant care needs.

The National Education Psychological Service is also available to give guidance and support to school principals or teachers on the provision of education for children with special educational needs. Should a parent be dissatisfied with the manner in which the resources or facilities which have been provided to support their child's education are being applied in school, or with regard to their child's educational progress in school, they should raise this matter directly with their school Principal or the Board of Management of the school in the first instance.

Third Level Fees

Questions (83)

Martin Heydon

Question:

83. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if arrangements will be made for discretion to be applied in cases where those who may be refused Student Universal Support Ireland grants following processing delays subsequently drop out of courses as a result of this decision but incur fees for the first semester due to the late drop-out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51783/12]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

Arrangements concerning the payment of fees are a matter for the relevant third level institution. Any discretion to be applied, therefore, will be a matter to be determined by the relevant institution on an individual basis.

Further Education and Training Programmes Provision

Questions (84)

Michael McCarthy

Question:

84. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will explain the inspection and monitoring arrangements that are in place in establishments providing FETAC courses to ensure proper standards of course content and delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51788/12]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, FETAC was formally dissolved on 6 November and its functions are now undertaken by the new amalgamated qualifications and quality assurance body, Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). While the new agency will, over the coming months, establish its own policies and processes for quality assurance, programme validation and awarding, as well as for its other functions, it is in the meantime applying, on a transitional basis, the processes relating to inspection and monitoring which it has inherited from FETAC and the other legacy bodies.

It is a condition of registration that providers are subject to monitoring. FETAC's (now QQI's) monitoring process consists of the monitoring of provider documentation, site visits and reporting on the effectiveness of providers' quality systems with follow up and reviews. The process involves a review of the provider's quality system and identifies good practice and areas for improvements as appropriate. A standard monitoring report is completed by the monitor and when complete is published on the FETAC website. As well as monitoring the effectiveness of the overall quality assurance arrangements of registered providers, QQI's transitional processes also involve the examination of course content and delivery through the advance validation of individual programmes of education and training leading to its awards.