Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 November 2023
136. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education if measures to incentivise and assist workers to re-skill and upskill as teachers are being considered, if financial and logistical barriers have been considered, what proposals she has in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52812/23]
View answerThe recruitment of teachers is a priority area of action for the Department given the importance of ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have available to them qualified, engaged, and supportive teachers to support them in their learning.
The Teaching Transforms website provides a comprehensive range of information for persons considering becoming teachers, including options for initial teacher education as well as information on the recruitment of teachers and on terms and conditions of employment.
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 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.
In relation to initial teacher education, there are a number of providers of the Professional Master of Education (PME). The different models available may be suitable for persons wishing to upskill or change career to become a teacher.
At the same time, I am very conscious that the PME represents a very significant undertaking for students. I was delighted to announce in Budget 2024 that a PME incentive scheme will be introduced for newly qualified teachers graduating in 2024. Those newly qualified teachers who graduate with a PME will, subject to eligibility criteria, receive an incentive payment of up to €2,000. This will be paid to eligible primary and post-primary teachers in 2025. It will recognise the costs that PME students incur when completing their initial teacher education, assist them with these costs and encourage suitable candidates to consider a career in teaching.
The details of the administration of the scheme are being worked on by the Department.
Students may also be eligible to receive grant funding under the Student Grant Scheme. Grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine.
