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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 2 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 3

Written Answers. - Teaching Qualifications.

Seán Ryan

Ceist:

25 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of untrained teachers employed in primary schools at the latest date for which figures are available; the number of pupils in classes being taught by untrained teachers; the number of teaching days undertaken by untrained teachers during the last school year; the steps being taken to ensure that all primary pupils are taught by fully qualified teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21518/03]

There are currently 545 unqualified temporary teachers employed in primary schools. As the organisation of classes is a matter for individual school principals, my Department does not have information on the number of pupils being taught by these teachers. There were 152,053 teaching days undertaken by unqualified teachers in the primary system in the 2002-03 school year.

Unqualified teachers should only be employed in primary schools in exceptional circumstances and when all avenues for recruiting qualified personnel have been exhausted. The primary sector has experienced a shortage of trained teachers in recent years, mainly as a result of the large number of posts created to reduce class sizes, to cater for pupils in disadvantaged areas and to provide for those with special educational needs. The difficulties being experienced are aggravated by the number of teachers availing of career and job sharing schemes. My Department has introduced a range of measures to address the current shortage of qualified teachers and is also examining further options for addressing the teacher supply issue in consultation with relevant interests. Since 1999, over 1,000 students have been admitted annually to the B.Ed. programme in the colleges of education. This represents a doubling of the number admitted to the programme in 1996. The total intake in the 2002-03 academic year is approximately 1,350 students. This compares with an intake of 500 in 1996-97. There are currently some 3,500 students enrolled and pursuing various stages of primary teacher training programmes in the colleges of education.
I have recently announced that I will be prepared to recognise graduates of a new primary teacher training course for the purposes of primary treating. The new course is being accredited by HETAC and it will be delivered by Hibernia College, an on-line third level educational company using innovative on-line e-learning technology. It will lead to a graduate diploma in primary education. The course will be open to graduates and in addition to its on-line component will involve face-to-face tuition delivered at regional locations.
It is important also to acknowledge that the colleges of education have done much to increase the output of primary teachers to meet the needs of schools arising from significant additional teacher allocations in recent years. In addition to increasing the output of graduates, other initiatives have been introduced to increase the number of trained personnel. 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 qualifications are now recognised as fully qualified. Montessori trained teachers who have successfully completed the full-time course of three years duration at St. Nicholas, Dún Laoghaire, which is recognised by HETAC, or the Montessori qualification which is awarded on completion of the three year full time course in the AMI College, are recognised as being fully qualified substitute teachers and are recognised to teach in certain categories of special schools, special classes and as resource teachers in primary schools. The decision to recognise fully qualified teachers who trained outside the State to teach in certain categories of schools and classes without the necessity to hold an Irish language qualification is also contributing to an improvement in the supply of trained primary teachers.
I am committed to ensuring that the existing shortage of qualified teachers will be eliminated within the next two to three years. In this context my Department will continue to consider new initiatives and keep existing initiatives under review.
Question No. 26 answered with Question No. 18.
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