Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Dec 2000

Vol. 527 No. 5

Written Answers. - Higher Diploma in Education Course.

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

244 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the increased provision made by his Department in the past three years for pre-service training for teachers of physics and chemistry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29171/00]

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

245 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of higher diploma in Education graduates who had physics and chemistry as one of their subjects for each of the years from 1996 to 2000. [29172/00]

Róisín Shortall

Ceist:

246 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science the subjects for which quota's are used for places on the higher diploma in education course; the plans he has to extend these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29173/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 244 to 246, inclusive, together.

There are two principal routes available to aspiring teachers of science subjects.

The concurrent model comprises the B.Sc. Science Education in Dublin City University and the B.Sc. Science with concurrent teacher training in the University of Limerick. There were 23 entrants to the first year of the DCU course, which commenced in 1999-00. Numbers of new entrants to the UL course were 32 in 1997-98, 38 in 1998-99 and 43 in 1999-2000.

However, the main route for qualification as a teacher of science subjects concerns the consecutive model where students obtain a relevant primary degree followed by a Higher Diploma in Education.

Entry to the higher diploma is limited by an entry quota, the setting of which is monitored on an ongoing basis by my Department and the Higher Education Authority. As part of this process, a survey was undertaken in 1997 at the request of a joint working group representative of my Department, the Higher Education Authority and the universities to elicit the views of school principals on the difficulties encountered in recruiting teachers generally and to determine whether particular difficulties existed in specific subjects. A total of 656 principals – 86% of all principals – participated in the survey, of whom 591 had recruited staff for the 1996-97 school year. The survey found that 339 principals reported some difficulties in recruitment and that the level of difficulty varied between subjects.

In view of the survey results and other analyses, the working group recommended that the aggregate quota for the Higher Diploma in Education should be increased and that places should be allocated within the increased quota for specific subjects. These quotas were to apply for Irish, religion, Spanish, Italian, physics and chemistry. On foot of this recommendation, the aggregate intake quota was increased from 800 in 1997-98 to 900 in 1999 and to 960 in 1999-00. A further 40 places are provided in respect of a higher diploma through the medium of Irish in NUIG. The total number of Higher Diploma in Education places therefore increased by 20% in two years.

Some difficulties have arisen concerning the application of the subject-specific quotas within the Higher Diploma in Education and my Department is in consultation with the universities and the Higher Education Authority on the matter. Decisions as to whether to extend or vary these quotas will be informed by the outcome of these consultations and by reference to continuing review of the position on teacher supply and demand.

Figures on the numbers of Higher Diploma in Education graduates for each of the past five years with physics or chemistry as one of their subjects are not readily available. Further inquiries are being made with the Higher Education Authority and the education departments of the universities as to the feasibility of compiling the data and a response on the matter will issue directly to the Deputy in due course.

As the Deputy will be aware, I have established a task force on the physical sciences to support further the promotion of these subjects at second and third level. The task force will,inter alia, address issues concerning the support and promotion of high quality teaching provision in the physical sciences.