Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 18 April 2024
177. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education to outline any measures she or her Department are considering to offer incentives to teachers to fill the many vacant teaching posts in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17087/24]
View answerEnsuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government.
Budget 2024 contained a range of measures, including the introduction of a professional master’s of education (PME) incentive payment scheme, that demonstrates my commitment to continued investment in our education system.
• A professional master’s of education incentive scheme will be introduced for newly qualified primary and post-primary teachers graduating in 2024 to encourage them to take up teaching roles. Those newly qualified teachers who graduate with a PME will, subject to some conditions, be eligible for an incentive payment of up to €2,000 in 2025.
Other teacher supply measures in Budget 2024 include:
• An expansion in the number of upskilling programmes available. These programmes, which are free to teachers, increase the number of teachers who are qualified to teach in-demand subjects and reduce the level of out-of-field teaching. These new upskilling programmes in Irish, French, politics & society, and computer science will be in addition to existing upskilling programmes in maths, physics and Spanish. The contract for the Irish upskilling programme for post-primary teachers has been awarded to Trinity College Dublin and is due to commence in late 2024.
• An additional 1,000 posts of responsibility will be provided in the school system for the 2024/25 school year. This is in recognition that school leaders play a key role in improving educational outcomes by creating a positive school climate and environment as well as motivating and empowering educators and learners within their school communities.
These new measures are in addition to a range of targeted measures that I have introduced in recent times, including:
• At primary level, I approved 610 additional places on initial teacher education programmes for this and the next academic year (2023/24 and 2024/25).
• Continuing the operation of primary substitute teacher supply panels in 2023/24, with 590 teaching posts allocated to 166 panels covering nearly 2,900 schools. This scheme provides substitute cover for teachers employed in primary schools who are absent on short-term leave.
• Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) employed in primary schools from 14 November 2023 may apply to the Teaching Council to complete the Droichead process while employed on a Supply Panel or Principal Release Time Post. The measure has been extended to the end of the 2024/2025 school year. This measure increases the attractiveness of these posts to NQTs, and supports primary schools to provide substitute cover.
• Ensuring initial teacher education providers created existing flexibilities that enable student teachers to support schools, either while on placement, or in a substitute capacity. In 2022/23, more than 2,700 3rd and 4th-year undergraduate student teachers registered with the Teaching Council and provided valuable support to schools as substitute teachers. Currently, there are 3,600 registered under Route 5 on the Teaching Council register.
• Encouraging retired teachers to provide substitute cover. A new communications campaign began recently to encourage retired teachers to return to teaching.
• The 50-day pension abatement waiver, for retirees returning to work, has been extended for a further two years to the end of 2025.
• Restrictions on job-sharing teachers and those on a career break from working as substitutes have been reduced.
• Post-primary teachers can provide up to 35 additional hours of substitute cover per term in the subject they are qualified to teach.
• The Teaching Transforms campaign continues to promote the teaching profession and encourage students to follow a career in teaching. The campaign uses digital, radio and video media, and is supported by a dedicated webpage, www.gov.ie/teachingtransforms
The teacher allocation ratio in primary schools is now at the lowest ever seen at primary level. The average student-per-teacher ratio in primary schools reduced by 10% between 2017 and 2023.
Teaching remains an attractive career choice:
• CAO first preference choices for post-primary teaching increased in 2023 by 14%, in addition to a 9% increase in 2022. CAO preferences for primary teaching increased at the closing date in February 2024 with overall mentions up 10% and first preferences increasing by 2% from 2023.
• Starting pay for Primary teachers is over €41,000 and for post-primary teachers over €42,000. The new pay deal, with all three teacher unions having recently voted in favour of, will mean that teachers’ starting salary will increase to €46,000 rising to a maximum of €85,000 per year which compares well internationally. Starting pay of €46,000 will be almost €20,000 higher than the 2011 rates.
• Over 3,700 newly qualified teachers have registered with the Teaching Council in 2023, with over 122,000 now on the Teaching Council register.
While schools in certain locations are experiencing challenges in both recruiting teachers and obtaining substitute teachers, the vast majority of sanctioned teacher positions are filled. The rate of resignation and retirement is very low by any standard and is consistent with previous years.
My Department continues to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further, innovative measures to address teacher supply issues.
