Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:243 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the list of English language schools formally recognised by his Department's Advisory Council for English Language Schools - ACELS. [5246/02]
Written Answers. - English Language Schools.
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:244 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the criteria which must be met by prospective English language schools to achieve recognition from the Advisory Council for English Language Schools - ACELS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5247/02]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:245 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the monitoring procedures which are in place to ensure English language schools continue to satisfy the criteria of the Advisory Council for English Language Schools - ACELS. [5248/02]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:246 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the penalties in place for English language schools that fail to meet the ACELS criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5249/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 to 246, inclusive, together.
My Department recognises English language schools that meet the criteria specified by the Advisory Council for English Language Schools for such recognition. I am arranging for the list of English language schools recognised by my Department to be forwarded to the Deputy together with the regulations governing such recognition.
New applicant schools are inspected on two occasions, with a minimum period of ten months between inspections, before they are recommended to my Department for recognition. The main areas covered by the inspection are: premises, general management and administration, academic management, teaching qualifications and performance and student welfare.
In relation to the recognised schools these are required to renew their application to ACELS annually and are inspected at least once over a three-year period. In addition, spot-checks may be carried out at any time. I understand that in 2001 ACELS carried out 27 such checks.
New applicants that fail to meet the required standards are not recommended by ACELS to my Department for recognition. In the case of existing recognised schools, if ACELS deems that standards and regulations are not being adhered to, following an inspection or a spot-check their recognition is withdrawn.
There is no obligation on schools to belong to ACELS. However, affiliation to ACELS is the only means by which schools can gain the official recognition of my Department. This recognition is of such importance for marketing reasons that most schools belong to ACELS.