Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 February 2022
430. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she will consider providing support towards the cost to allow a limited number of experienced teachers to receive a qualification as career guidance teachers. [9207/22]
View answerThe Teacher Fee Refund Scheme is administered by Marino Institute of Education (MIE) on behalf of my Department and provides funding to serving teachers towards the cost of course participation and examination fees on successful completion of professional development courses that are directly relevant and of benefit to schools and that are subject to certification/award by an appropriate accreditation authority recognised by the Department.
Applications for funding under the Scheme are made retrospectively for a course undertaken during the previous academic year.
Following a review of the Teacher Fee Refund Scheme, in 2021 the Department announced that funding would be prioritised under the scheme for the following areas:
a. Upskilling for post primary teachers leading to registration with the Teaching Council in an additional subject, to support teacher supply at post-primary level
b. Inclusion and tackling disadvantage
c. Promoting well-being
d. Digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment
e. Improving students’ literacy and numeracy
f. Curricular initiatives including pre-identified areas of systemic need endorsed by school management (identified in the annual circular relating to the period in which course/year of course is completed).
Recently published Circulars 0001/2022 and 0015/2021 relate to this Scheme.
