Teaching Council of Ireland

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 July 2014

Wednesday, 9 July 2014

Questions (121)

Anthony Lawlor

Question:

121. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to regulation five of the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2009, which states that applicants for registration for the further education sector must have attained a council approved further education teacher education qualification, the reason it came into force on the 1 April 2013; if he is aware that this change in the rules was very unfair for students who had almost completed their studies with the intention of teaching in the further education sector but are now unable to without first obtaining the necessary further qualifications; his views that it would have been fairer to introduce this change later in the year to coincide with the commencement of the new academic year in order that students were aware of the facts before they embarked on a specific course with a career path in mind; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30296/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The requirement that teachers seeking to register under Regulation Five of the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2009 and teach in the further education sector is designed to achieve consistent standards in the qualifications required to be a registered teacher across the three education sectors – Primary, Post-Primary and Further Education. It followed an extensive consultation process on the aforementioned regulations. These were signed and published in November 2009.

While this advance notification in 2009 clearly signalled that the requirement would come into effect for those applying for registration after 1 April 2013, the Council has acknowledged that given the fact that suitable accredited programmes were slow to come on stream, it would be desirable to introduce a transition mechanism whereby teachers could register on a conditional basis, subject to the condition that they complete an accredited Further Education ITE programme within three years of initial registration.

The following Further Education ITE programmes have been accredited by the Council

- Professional Diploma in Education (Further Education), Open Learning Centre, NUIG - NFQ Level 8

- Graduate Diploma in Adult & Further Education, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick - NFQ Level 9

- Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in Learning and Teaching, National College of Ireland, Dublin - NFQ Level 9

- Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Teaching in Further Education & Adult Education, Waterford Institute of Technology - NFQ Level 8

- Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching in Further Education, Waterford Institute of Technology - NFQ Level 9

- Higher Diploma in Further Education (HDFE), NUIM - NFQ Level 8

- Professional Diploma in Education (Further Education), Marino Institute of Education - NFQ Level 8

- BSc in Education and Training (Further, Adult and Continuing Education),Dublin City University - NFQ Level 8

- Professional Diploma in Education (Further Education), Mary Immaculate College - NFQ Level 8

- MA in Socially Engaged Art: (Further, Adult and Community Education, National College of Art and Design - NFQ Level 9

It is recommended that any person who has concerns in this matter engages directly with the Teaching Council for further guidance and information.