My focus is on supporting schools to provide a high quality of education that enables students to reach their full potential. The Teaching Council Act, 2001 was enacted to promote teaching as a profession, to promote the professional development of teachers and to maintain and improve the quality of teaching in the State.
We issued a Circular (31/2011) to management authorities of post-primary schools in May 2011 which stated that "people appointed to teach are registered teachers with qualifications appropriate to the sector and suitable to the post for which they are employed".
Teachers in Post-Primary schools must provide their relevant qualifications to be registered by the Teaching Council. My Inspectorate carries out a variety of school evaluations which, inter alia, examine the quality of teaching and learning.
While I respect the right of parents to make choices for their children's education, I do not believe that it should be necessary to pay for grinds. I recognise that in certain circumstances, such as a prolonged illness, additional tuition may be useful for a child. I also recognise that revision courses, whether organised within schools or outside, can help children with their study, if they build upon previous work.
The institutions which give grinds are private commercial enterprises and they do not come under the jurisdiction of my Department. In addition, the right of parents to make choices for their children in relation to their education must be respected.