Ceist:
19 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps he will take to ensure the qualifications and accreditation of teachers of adult education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12024/00]
Priority Questions. - Adult Education.
The Green Paper on Adult Education points to the fragmented nature of adult education and the wide range of services encompassed within that term. In the education sector this includes programmes for early school leavers, such as Youthreach and Traveller training centres, the vocational training opportunity scheme, post-leaving certificate courses and adult literacy and community education programmes.
A major proportion of the staff concerned have formal teaching qualifications. As regards the remainder, nationally accredited certificate and diploma programmes have been commissioned by my Department on an in-service basis and funds are provided towards fees to encourage participation of those who do not have formal qualifications. The courses concerned include programmes in adult and community education or vocational education and training in the NUI colleges in Galway and Maynooth, in the University of Limerick and in Dublin City University, and programmes for staff in the adult literacy service in Waterford Institute of Technology.
Recognition in the form of additional allowances for such qualifications have been introduced as part of the recent restructuring of pay and conditions for staff in Youthreach and senior Traveller training centres. This area will be further progressed in the context of the forthcoming White Paper on Adult Education and in light of developments under the national qualifications framework. Given the diffused range of interests involved in the sector and the implications for providers across the education and training sectors, it will be essential to progress this work on a phased basis, underpinned by an inclusive participative consultation process, systematic research and a review of best international practice in this area.
Dr. Upton:
I thank the Minister of State for his definition of adult education and the recognition of its diversity. The Green Paper states that all those involved in delivering adult education should ultimately have third level qualifications and training. What plans does the Minister of State have to ensure this will happen and what is the expected timeframe?
Neither I nor the Government has any intention of ensuring that all those involved in delivering adult education will have third level training. The difficulty is that a number of people teaching in this sector, particularly in the area of literacy, have vast experience from having learned on the job. The recommendation is that whatever qualification they will ultimately be given will be at third level. However, that does not mean they must formally go through a third level training programme like someone doing a degree in a university.
The Green Paper proposed the setting up of an inter-agency group on the professional qualifications we give to and recognise for adult educators. We have the mechanism in place to put that committee into operation. The White Paper will be published in the next few weeks and, as soon as that happens, we will put the inter-agency group in place. I will instruct it to report within a finite time period.
Dr. Upton:
How many people will participate in the third level courses the Minister of State says will be available in the institutes of technology? How many adult educators will be trained?
I have already referred to the diffused and fragmented nature of adult education. It covers a broad spectrum from teaching people who have dropped out of the school system too early to post-leaving certificate courses, VTOS and literacy programmes. I have no idea of the overall figures and what will ultimately be needed or how many people will get involved. The Government will put a programme in place as soon as the White Paper is published. We will be ready to commit sufficient funding to ensure this sector is properly catered for. For too long it has been the Cinderella of the education system but we are in the process of changing that.