asked the Minister for Education whether, before issuing certificates for the purposes of Section 5 of the School Attendance Act, 1926, to schools other than National Schools, any inquiries are made as to the qualifications of teachers serving in such schools; and, if so, what standard of qualifications is expected from such teachers before a certificate is issued.
Written Answers. - Qualifications of Teachers.
For the purpose of enabling me to decide whether a particular school may be certified as a suitable school under sub-section (1) of Section 5 of the School Attendance Act, enquiries, under sub-section (2), are made, where deemed necessary, with regard, inter alia, to the qualifications and competency of the teaching staff. The official regulations do not apply to such schools which are not State-aided, and the section of the Act does not require the possession of specific qualifications by the teachers as a condition of the certification of the schools. Where the teachers do not possess officially recognised qualifications their competency is judged by the effectiveness of the instruction.