Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 April 2023
227. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the supervision and substitution scheme; if the scheme currently exists and is open to new applicants; the way she will address the shortage of cover for supervision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18761/23]
View answerDepartment of Education Circular 006/2014 sets out details of the Supervision and Substitution (S&S) Scheme which operates in post-primary schools. The S & S Scheme allows for the supervision of students during breaks and before and after school and to allow for substitution to cover certain categories of teacher absences. This includes providing substitution cover for short term and unexpected absences in schools, such as all uncertified sick leave absences or to cover the first day of force majeure leave or illness in family leave
With effect from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, participation in the Supervision and Substitution scheme is compulsory for all post-primary teachers, save for those who had availed of the opt-out arrangements prior to this date. Circular 0047/2017 also subsequently set out the arrangements whereby teachers who previously opted out from compulsory participation in the Supervision and Substitution scheme under Circular 0006/2014 could opt back in to the Supervision and Substitution scheme.
With effect from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, each teacher has been required to provide 43 hours supervision and substitution per annum. Teachers working less than full hours other than those employed on a casual basis will have a liability to deliver supervision and substitution on a pro-rata basis. This scheme therefore provides for a very significant number of hours for each school for the covering of substitution absences.
The Department is undertaking a comprehensive programme to support the supply of teachers, including to cover short term substitutable absences , which includes:
• As a temporary measure, post-primary teachers can provide additional hours of substitute cover in the subject they are qualified to teach. The number of additional hours that can be taught per term has been increased from 20 to 35 for the remainder of the 2022/23 school year.
• For 2022/23, higher education institutions have introduced flexibility in the delivery of initial teacher education programmes to allow student teachers to provide more substitute cover.
• The Teaching Council introduced regulations allowing for the registration of 3rd and 4th-year undergraduate student teachers under registration Route 5 (Student Teachers). More than 2,700 student teachers have registered under route 5 to date
• A waiver of abatement for retired teachers returning to teach for up to 50 days in each of the three calendar years, 2021 to 2023 inclusive has been agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.
• For 2022/23, job-sharing teachers may be employed to work in a substitute capacity during the period they are rostered off, in their own or in other schools, and the limits on substitute work applying to teachers on career break have also been suspended.
The Department meets on a regular basis with school management bodies and teacher unions on this very important issue and will continue to work intensively with all stakeholders to develop and implement creative solutions to address the teacher supply challenges for schools.
