Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 21 May 2024
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills
Regulation of the English Language Sector: Discussion (Resumed).
Mr. Keith Moynes:
The English language providers are not recognised schools and would not fall under the regulatory environment that the schools system operates under. Dr. Murray mentioned the different models earlier. The school inspection regime and Teaching Council is one model. The model that pertains in the tertiary sector more generally is a different model, as Dr. Murray outlined. What is proposed is more aligned with the tertiary model rather than the highly State-controlled and connected model. The fundamental difference is the recognised schools are emanations of the State, whereas the English language schools are private operators. It is legitimate to have a different regulatory environment. I would not say the aim is the same, but the aim is to have that enhanced regime where people have the right qualifications and work in good environments in legitimate operators that look after the interests of students.