Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

First, following the appointment of the new chief inspector, I looked at probation on the basis that it is too late to deal with underachievers in the system when they have 20 years experience. Teachers must be assessed in their first year as to whether they have the acumen and capacity for the work and to ascertain how they can be supported. There is a need for greater leadership in schools to support teachers. Second, I have changed the methods for whole-school evaluations in order that students and parents will be involved. Third, I am carrying out new standardised testing in literacy and numeracy and that information will be centralised. The problem was that these reforms were thwarted on the basis that people thought they would be an assessment of their capacity as teachers. That is not the position; it is about having information in order that we can deal with specific problems that may arise in a school in the delivery of the literacy and numeracy programmes.

In addition, teachers on probation will have to take a specified number of hours in their first year in the teacher education centres. The centres are a significant resource and this will provide for better professional competence and development.

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