Vol. 409 No. 8
28 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education if she will outline in respect of the number of unemployed teachers (a) her Department's estimate of this number currently and (b) the estimated number at the end of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress period; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Some persons who qualify as primary teachers may take up other employment when a teaching post does not immediately become available. Conversely, it is likely that provision of additional teaching posts will result in some applications from persons qualified as teachers currently in other employment.
The First Destination of Board Recipients in Higher Education (1989), published by the Higher Education Authority indicates that the percentage of graduates of that year with primary degrees in education, the majority of whom would be qualified as primary teachers, who were seeking employment at the end of April 1990 was 1.5 per cent.
My Department have recently announced the arrangements agreed under the terms of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, which will result in a reduction in the pupil/teacher ratio in national schools.
