Cathal Crowe
Ceist:173. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to a proposal by a person (details supplied). [12000/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 23 June 2020
Ceisteanna (173)
Freagraí scríofa
As the Deputy may be aware, the third National Access Plan (NAP) for Equity of Access to Higher Education (2015 – 2019)was launched in December 2015, which following a review has been extended to 2021, to ensure that the student body entering into, participating in and completing higher education at all levels reflects the diversity and social mix of Ireland's population.
The Plan identifies the target groups that are currently being under-represented in Higher Education, which includes entrants from socio-economic groups that have low participation in higher education, Irish Travellers, Students with disabilities, first time, mature student entrants, Part-time/flexible learners and further education award holders.
The impact of the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) will be long-lasting and will ensure better targeting of initiatives to support the most disadvantaged in our NAP target groups.
As part of my Department’s ongoing promotion of the teaching profession to support teacher supply, consideration is being given as to how to promote teaching as a career amongst those who are underrepresented in the sector, including the target groups identified under PATH as well as migrant communities.
In addition, the Migrant Teacher Project (MTP), based in Marino Institute of Education, was established in 2017 to support the participation of immigrant internationally educated teachers in the Irish primary and post-primary education sectors. The MTP is co-funded by my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality through the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration's National Funding Programme 2022.
The project provides information, advice and training to teachers who have qualified outside of Ireland, to help them to continue their profession in Irish primary and post-primary schools. It aims to work with immigrant teachers to support them through the process of registration with the Teaching Council and seeking employment.
The MTP’s bridging programme ran for the first time from January until May 2019 with approx. forty primary and post-primary teachers from 18 different countries participating free of charge. The second cohort of 40 participants are expected to graduate in July of this year. Over 900 teachers from 70 countries have registered their interest with the project.