Vol. 275 No. 4
asked the Minister for Education if he will consider the appointment of carrer guidance officers to visit post-primary schools with a view to assisting pupils to pursue suitable courses or obtain suitable appointments subsequent to completion of their post-primary studies.
470.
asked the Minister for Education the steps, if any, that are being taken by his Department to assist post-primary pupils in the selection of suitable appointments on completion of their studies in these schools.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 469 and 470 together.
Guidance work, which includes careers and vocational guidance as well as guidance in relation to choice of course and further education, is a recognised activity of the school timetable, where the school employs a qualified guidance teacher.
In schools of 250 pupils or more, a post of guidance teacher over and above the normal quota of teachers is allowed.
I may add that some 300 secondary schools now employ qualified guidance teachers. Of these, about 85 teachers entered this service at the beginning of the present school-year. A further 83 are at present following a course of training in guidance.
