Sorca Clarke
Question:309. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if there are plans to extend teacher training in the Technological University of the Shannon, Athlone. [2991/24]
View answerTuesday, 23 January 2024
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Under Section 38 of the Teaching Council Act, all initial teacher education programmes must be accredited by the Teaching Council for registration purposes.
The Council reviewed its policy on standards for programmes of initial teacher education and published updated standards in Céim Standards for Initial Teacher Education in October 2020. These standards ensure that graduates from ITE have experienced foundation studies, professional studies (incorporating pedagogy of the curriculum for the appropriate age group/s) and school placement, as well as core elements such as inclusive education and digital skills.
The Department published an Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Policy Statement in 2023, presenting a vision for policy and provision across the sector which can ensure that student teachers at primary and post-primary level have the skills to support all of our children and young people as learners in the years ahead. One of the guiding principles of the policy statement is the continuation of the vision that ITE provision will be led by a small number (seven) of university-led centres of teacher education excellence, and that each of these will have a critical mass to provide for good teaching, research and international co-operation and structures to ensure meaningful collaboration across education. The policy statement recognises the contribution that Technological Universities can make, linking in with those centres.
At present, a Bachelor of Education in Technology, Engineering and Graphics (Post Primary) is being delivered through a partnership of Dublin City University, one of the seven centres, and Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), Athlone. The first two years of study for this programme take place at the TUS Athlone campus, and the final two years at the DCU Institute of Education in Dublin. This is an excellent example of the type of innovative collaboration which can take place.
As an autonomous body, it would fall to TUS Athlone to consider the scope of their expansion of any future ITE provision in line with their mission/strategy. This Department would favour new programmes being introduced in areas where there is an identified national need. In this regard it would be expected that there would be liaison with this Department (by TUS Athlone as well as the Teaching Council, DFHERIS) when considering new ITE programme proposals and that there would be due regard given to available data on teacher-supply needs.