Thomas P. Broughan
Ceist:145 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans he has to deal with the acute shortage of substitute teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26540/00]
Written Answers. - School Staffing.
This Government has introduced a range of measures to boost substantially the supply of trained primary teachers and help to alleviate the shortage of fully qualified substitute teachers.
The total intake to the colleges of education for primary teaching in the 1999-00 academic year was 1,283. This compares with an intake of 500 in 1996-97.
There are approximately 1,000 students again enrolled in the first year of the undergraduate training course in the 2000-01 academic year. A further postgraduate course will commence early in 2001 with a proposed intake of 280 students, bringing the total enrolment to 1,280.
It is projected that the intake to the undergraduate training course for primary teachers will continue at the current level of 1,000 for the 2001-02 academic year.
Between the 2000 and 2001 academic years it is projected that approximately 1,900 qualified primary teachers will graduate from the colleges of education. This represents a huge increase in the number of trained graduates as compared with 1995 when 291 graduated.
A number of other initiatives to reduce the number of untrained personnel have also been introduced. B.Ed graduates of St. Mary's College, Belfast who have studied Irish to honours level as an academic subject as part of their teaching qualification are now recognised as fully qualified.
Since September 1998, all primary degree holders who hold the higher diploma in education are paid as fully trained substitute teachers.
Montessori trained teachers, who successfully completed the course of three years duration at St. Nicholas, Dún Laoghaire, which is recognised by the National Council for Educational Awards, are also recognised as being fully qualified substitute teachers.