Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 January 2017
161. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason resource hours teaching is no longer regarded as sufficient to enable primary school teachers to attain the 100 hours teaching necessary to proceed to study for a HDip; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2594/17]
View answerThe Teaching Council is the statutory body with responsibility for professional standards at all stages of the teaching career. It has established standards for post-qualification professional practice, as set out in Droichead, the new model of induction and probation for newly qualified primary and post-primary teachers. The Droichead programme was the subject of a three-year pilot before it was approved by the Council in March 2016. The programme is being introduced on a phased basis since last September.
During the growth and development phase of Droichead, teachers employed in a special education or restricted setting must avail of the Droichead programme to achieve full registration with the Council. While a new policy on teacher probation was adopted by the Teaching Council last December, this does not change the requirement for teachers in a special education setting to avail of Droichead.
The INTO issued a directive to its members not to co-operate with or participate in Droichead from 1 July 2016. This directive has prevented newly qualified teachers employed in special education settings from participating in Droichead since September and thereby closed off the registration pathway. I hope the INTO will review its approach.
My Department is also considering the impact of the new policy adopted by the Council.
