Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 November 2021
313. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to overcrowded classes and teacher shortages at a school (details supplied); and her plans to address these problems. [55375/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraTeacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment on the previous 30 September.
The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.
At post primary level, teachers are currently allocated at a ratio of 19:1 in the free education system and 23:1 to schools in the fee charging sector. As part of COVID-19 operational supports, 1,000 additional teachers have been allocated to post-primary schools to help reduce class sizes. A teacher allocation equivalent to a pupil teacher ratio reduction of 0.6 has been allocated to schools in the free scheme. This allocation supports the important work of teaching and learning and provide additional teachers needed to support teacher substitution, management of physical distancing requirements by reallocating class timetables in schools to smaller groups class sizes where necessary. In addition, an allocation equivalent to a pupil teacher ratio reduction of 0.1 has been provided in respect of Guidance provision to support student wellbeing. In the current school year, the school to which the Deputy refers has been allocated an additional 1.86 teaching posts under these measures.
My Department recognises that there are particular pressures recruiting substitute teachers at the moment due to Covid-19 and a number of arrangements have been put in place to assist with the availability of substitutes for the remainder of the 2021/22 school year.
My Department and the Teaching Council have engaged with higher education institutions (HEIs) to ensure that flexible school placement arrangements are being implemented to enhance the availability of post-primary Professional Master of Education (PME) student teachers to fill short term substitute vacancies
The Teaching Council has also contacted all 111,000 teachers on its register requesting that those not currently working, or those who otherwise have capacity, register their availability with Sub Seeker, the national substitute teacher recruitment portal operated by the Irish Primary Principals’ Network for both primary and post primary schools.
In addition, for 2021/22 the career break scheme permits teachers on career break carry out unlimited substitute work. Changes have also been made to the job sharing scheme to permit job sharing teachers carry out substitute work on the days they are rostered off, including in schools other than those in which they normally teach.
A number of measures have been put in place to increase the supply of teachers of priority subjects at post primary level. Following engagement with the Higher Education Authority (HEA), HEIs have, since 2019, put in place new post primary initial teacher education undergraduate programmes in priority subject areas, including mathematics, modern foreign languages and Irish. The HEA, on behalf of my Department, also issued a call to HEIs for proposals for programmes to upskill teachers in targeted post-primary subjects (Spanish, mathematics and physics). Following this call, three upskilling programmes commenced in these subjects in January 2021. As I announced earlier this year, my Department intends to approve increased places on these programmes for their second intake of teachers in January 2022.
