Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 23 Mar 1999

Vol. 502 No. 3

Written Answers. - Teaching Qualifications.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

660 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the procedures and steps, if any, undertaken by his Department to ensure that each teacher reaches a certain standard of competency; the criteria by which teaching standards are assessed; the proposals, if any, he has for changes in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8420/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

Following qualifications as teachers and on taking up their first appointment, primary teachers undergo a one year period of probation. During this period they are inspected and advised by members of the Department's inspectorate on at least two occasions. On successful completion of the probation period, teachers are fully established as members of the teaching profession.

The work of established primary teachers is regularly inspected during school inspections which are conducted by the Department's inspectorate in all primary schools at intervals of approximately six years. In addition, the work of an individual teacher is subject to incidental inspection. Teachers whose work is regarded as unsatisfactory are inspected under the terms of rule 161 of the Rules for National Schools.

Students preparing to become second level teachers within either concurrent teacher education courses or consecutive, higher diploma in education, courses are required to demonstrate through a combination of theoretical and practical tests that they have attained the level of competence deemed necessary by the universities.

The Secondary Teachers' Registration Council admits to its professional register teachers who meet its academic and professional requirements and have completed satisfactorily a probationary teaching period of one year. For appointment to teaching posts under vocational education committees teachers must meet the specific requirements for the post in accordance with memorandum V7 and be successful in an interview process in which inspectors of my Department participate.

For a number of years it has not been possible, due to an increase in the number of second level teachers and the increased workload of the inspectorate, to inspect the work of all probationary teachers at this level. In order to address present and future educational and professional needs of second level teachers I established a steering committee to develop proposals on the establishment of a teaching council. The report of this committee was received during 1998 and legislation is being prepared to establish a teaching council in the near future.

Probated second level teachers are inspected as part of the ongoing inspection work of my Department. In accordance with circular letter 43/85, there are clearly defined procedures for dealing with cases of under-performing teachers employed by VEC's. Criteria under the headings of (a) preparation and planning and (b) learning and Teaching are used to assess teaching standards and involve the assessment of the quality of pupil-teacher interaction and of curricular attainment.

A pilot project on whole school evaluation in both primary and second level schools is nearing completion. This pilot project involves an evaluation by my Department's inspectors of learning and teaching as well as school planning and school management. Draft evaluation criteria were developed by the inspectorate for use in the pilot project and they will be reviewed and amended as part of the ongoing development of a system of whole school evaluation for first and second level schools.