Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2023
299. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Education her plans to introduce funding for upskilling of home economics teachers in post-primary education; the criteria underpinning the funding of upskilling for maths, physics and Spanish; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5316/23]
View answer305. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if financial supports will be offered to registered post-primary teachers (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5405/23]
View answer307. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education if discussions are expected to offer financial support to registered post-primary teachers to upskill in order to teach home economics, as is currently offered to registered teachers to teach mathematics, physics and Spanish. [5417/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 299, 305 and 307 together.
In 2018, my Department established a Steering Group on Teacher Supply to facilitate multi-agency engagement and to lead on a coordinated programme of actions to support the supply of teachers. Arising from the work of this Group and its various substructures, the Teacher Supply Action Plan was published in November 2018.
The Action Plan called for the development of upskilling programmes in targeted subject areas for existing teachers and, following a request from my Department, the HEA issued a funding call to providers of Initial Teacher Education for upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish in late 2019. These were identified by the Steering Group as among the most challenging subjects in terms of teacher recruitment. Following the successful completion of the funding call, these programmes commenced in January 2021.
Upskilling programmes are provided over two years on a part-time basis. They are free of cost to participants. The first cohort of participants, approximately 170 teachers, completed these programmes in 2022 and more than 300 teachers are due to graduate in 2023. My Department has agreed to extend funding in 2023 and to provide for additional capacity.
Funding for these programmes was put in place following a competitive call to all initial teacher education providers for proposals. It is intended to commence an upskilling programme in Irish in 2023/24 and consideration will be given to programmes in other subjects. The allocation of funding for any future programmes will be dependent on a competitive process for potential providers.
