Ms Bríd Murphy:

It goes back to the national policy perspective and the Sahlberg report and the recommendations that came out of that. It also goes back to the literacy and numeracy strategy which recommended the elongation of primary and post-primary courses at that stage. That was looking to a quality point of view. That vision has been reaffirmed in the Department of Education’s 2023 policy statement. The programmes are built on the pillars of the foundational studies of education, extended school placement, professional studies and core elements, including inclusive education, global citizenship education, digital skills, creativity and professional relationships that teachers build with parents and with other members of the school community. It is quite involved and quite complex. The profession of teaching is getting more complex as years go on. As the director mentioned, there might be a lot missing or something that somebody has not experienced yet.