Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2004
292 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science if changes are anticipated in the Irish requirement for qualification as a primary school teacher, for those who already hold a degree, and who want to teach at junior primary level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20455/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the minimum academic entry requirements specified by my Department for the postgraduate diploma in primary teaching, all candidates must have a minimum of a grade C at higher level in Irish in the leaving certificate or an approved equivalent. This requirement embodies both the written and oral element of a student's proficiency in Irish. My Department considers it to be the minimum standard in Irish necessary for students entering a teacher training course which will equip them to teach Irish to pupils at all levels in primary schools.
In relation to teachers who have qualified outside the State, they may be given recognition to teach in primary schools. Once their qualifications have been assessed and accepted by the Department they may be granted provisional recognition to commence teaching in mainstream primary schools or restricted recognition to teach only in special schools or classes where Irish is not a curricular requirement. Holders of provisional recognition are given five years in which they must pass the written, aural and oral parts of an examination in the Irish language, An Scrudú le hAghaidh Cailíochta sa Ghaeilge (SCG).
Until such time as a teacher passes the SCG, they are not considered fully qualified as a teacher in a mainstream national school. Candidates are expected to have knowledge of the teaching methods of Irish as a mother tongue and as a second language to primary school children. They are also expected to have knowledge of strategies to promote the use of Irish as a language of communication and as a teaching medium.
The Deputy will be aware that I established a working group to review all aspects of the syllabus and examination for the Scrúdú le hAghaidh Cailíochta sa Ghaeilge in 2001. Institúid Teangeolaíochta Éireann, the colleges of education, primary school management organisations, INTO, the National Parents Council — Primary — and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment all were represented on this working group. Organisations were invited to submit proposals as part of the review of the SCG and all such proposals were given full consideration by the working group in preparing its report. The review group has given full consideration to the standard of Irish required in the examinations.
The report of the working group has now been finalised and published on the Department's website. I have implemented some of its recommendations already regarding the overall standard required to pass the various modules of the examination.
The report recommended that candidates who already hold a degree with Irish as a major subject to degree level and who previously have been exempted from paper II of the SCG examination, should be exempted from all modules of the SCG apart from the practical examination which will be introduced for the April 2005 sitting of the SCG examination. I will implement this recommendation to take effect from April 2005 onwards. Therefore, with effect from April 2005, SCG candidates who have a recognised degree with Irish as a major subject will be required to pass the practical examination only.
