Vol. 481 No. 4
249 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary teachers on secondment to other branches of the education system; the number of primary teachers in 1996-97 and 1997-98 on secondment to the third level sector; and whether his Department has a policy to either encourage or discourage secondment between the different sectors of the education system and specifically between first and third-level. [16182/97]
Currently, 78 primary teachers are on secondment to other branches of the education system. The number of primary teachers on secondment to the third level institutions in 1996-97 and to date in 1997-98 is 14.
Secondments are a valuable way of enhancing the experience of teachers and, in the process, increasing their contribution to the education sector. My Department encourages secondments across the entire education system and specifically where a secondment arrangement is likely to lead to the enrichment of the delivery and development of education.
