Substitute teachers in primary schools are remunerated at two distinct rates of pay. The applicable rates are £70.04 per day in the case of qualified substitutes and £46.16 per day in the case of unqualified substitutes.
Prior to my assuming office, the category of qualified substitutes referred only to fully recognised primary school teachers and all other substitute teachers were remunerated at the unqualified rate. However, with effect from September 1998, I introduced new provisions in this area whereby all primary degree holders who also hold the higher diploma in education have been recognised as fully trained for the purposes of providing substitution service and are remunerated at the qualified rate.
The reasoning for the introduction of the scheme outlined above was that it was considered that qualified secondary teachers should not be treated as unqualified for the purpose of substitution service at primary level. A person with the qualifications referred to by the Deputy would not be recognised as a qualified secondary teacher under the Registration Council requirements and would not come within the terms of the scheme.
