Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 November 2023
193. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will consider including Home Economics as a subject choice in the free upskilling programmes; and if she has plans to introduce other subjects where teacher supply is known to be tight to these programmes. [49433/23]
View answerIn 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 Higher Education Authority (HEA) issued a funding call to initial teacher education (ITE) providers for upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish in late 2019. Following the successful completion of the funding call, these programmes commenced in January 2021.
The first cycle of participants, 146 teachers, completed these programmes in 2022 and more than 300 teachers are due to graduate in both 2023 and 2024.
Budget 2024 has provided for the expansion in the number of upskilling programmes available. Programmes in Irish, French, politics & society, and computer science will be provided. Upskilling programmes are provided over two years on a part-time basis. They are free of cost to participants.
My Department is undertaking a comprehensive programme to support the supply of teachers. For example, to meet longer-term teacher demand, higher education institutions have developed new 4 year initial teacher education programmes in a number of post-primary priority subject areas, including Home Economics.
There are a number of providers of home economics Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and Professional Diploma in Home Economics (PDHE) programmes.
St Angela’s College Sligo, a provider of a home economics ITE programme has reverted from five to four years from 2021. Additionally, St Angela’s College Sligo, has substantially increased its Home Economics student numbers (73 students graduated in 2018, 102 students have just graduated in November 2023 and 120 students will graduate in November 2024)). St Angela’s also deliver a Professional Diploma in Home Economics (PDHE) programme.
The Munster Technological University (MTU) has developed the Professional Diploma in Home Economics (PDHE) to upskill already registered post primary teachers to meet the Teaching Council’s requirements for registration as a teacher of home economics. The PDHE is a two year, part time level 9 programme requiring one full day’s attendance per week by participants as well as some on-line engagement (max 2 hours per week).
Other ITE providers for Home Economics include Mary Immaculate College Limerick (Thurles campus). University of Galway and University College Cork (starting in 2024) also offer postgraduate programmes in Home Economics.
The development and expansion of existing programmes in Home Economics will increase the number of teachers available. It is expected that there will be adequate numbers of Home Economic graduates from existing providers by the time a new upskilling programme with graduate teachers could be provided.
It should be noted that participants on the PDHE are eligible for funding under the Teacher Fee Refund Scheme, which provides funding towards the cost of participation and examination fees on successful completion of professional development courses. Funding under the scheme is being prioritised for those taking courses in particular areas, including upskilling for post primary teachers leading to registration with the Teaching Council in an additional subject. The maximum refund under the scheme is €5,000 per year and the level of refund depends on the volume of eligible applications that are received. Recently published Circulars 0005/2023 and 0015/2021 relate to this Scheme.
My Department continues to engage closely with school management bodies, teacher unions and other education stakeholders to develop further, innovative measures to address teacher supply issues
