Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 12 Nov 2003

Vol. 574 No. 2

Written Answers. - Teaching Qualifications.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

241 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason that people who already possessed a recognised teaching qualification, the Principles of Teaching Art, were recently obliged to obtain another recognised art teaching qualification, the NUI diploma in teaching art, offered by the NCAD in association with his Department, to obtain recognition from his Department; the number of people on these courses who possessed the PTA qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26766/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

The issue raised by the Deputy relates to a limited number of teachers who have been engaged in teaching art for a significant number of years and whose original route to qualification, through the technical schools examination in art, was discontinued in 1988.

In order to enable such teachers, who had attempted to qualify as second level art teachers through the technical schools examination system but who failed to do so, gain suitable recognised qualifications for the purposes of appointment as recognised teachers of art, my Department arranged for the provision of a suitable one-year course by the National College of Art and Design in the 2001-02 and 2002-03 academic years.

Any teacher who successfully completed this course is recognised as fully qualified and may be appointed in a permanent capacity to a post as an art teacher and paid at the appropriate point on the incremental salary scale for teachers.

Any such teacher having relevant non-teaching experience may also qualify for the award of incremental credit in respect of such service. Applications for the award of incremental credit should be submitted to the relevant vocational education committee in the case of vocational teachers or to my Department in Athlone in the case of teachers employed in the voluntary secondary, community or comprehensive school sectors.

I am aware that some of the teachers in question, who completed the NCAD course and were accorded recognition as a result, continue to have concerns regarding the recognition of their service prior to the availability of this course. My Department is currently examining this issue. Precise details of the number of teachers who took the NCAD course and who possessed the PTR qualification are not readily available in my Department.