Paul McGrath
Ceist:206 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for Education the estimated number of teachers working in second level schools who have never had an inspection from any member of the inspectorate.
Written Answers. - Inspection of Teachers.
It is not possible to give an accurate estimate of the number of teachers working in second level schools who have never had an inspection from any member of the inspectorate. A different process exists between vocational education committee schools and other second-level schools. In the vocational education committee sector the role of the inspectorate is governed by statute. Individual teachers are inspected with more or less regularity depending on the number of inspectors involved in the various subject specialisms and the other demands made on their time. In other second-level schools, the emphasis is on inspection of the various subjects as in the school as a whole. The work of individual teachers is looked at as part of this process.
Post primary inspectors are very heavily involved at the various stages of preparing, monitoring and marking the annual State examinations of pupils and in many cases very little time is available for school inspection. Inspectors frequently visit schools in connection with developmental projects and as part of the collection of data on various aspects of the implementation of the curriculum.