Shane Moynihan (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As students navigate increasingly complex issues around mental health, relationships, identity and online safety, the feedback I am getting from teachers in my own constituency of Dublin Mid-West is that they do not feel prepared or trained on how to address and deal with these complex and sensitive issues when they arise in the classroom. The foundation for how teachers can address these things can be found in their initial teacher education which, in the case of secondary school teachers, is the professional master of education degree. We know that most teacher education programmes include some training on student well-being, diversity, inclusion and child protection but this can vary across courses. There is no universal standard requiring a minimal level of training on social, personal or health education, or well-being and sensitive issue management for secondary school teachers. One way in which to do this could be to incorporate SPHE into initial teacher education for secondary teachers in order that they have that foundation to begin to feel equipped and trained to handle sensitive issues as they arise in the classrooms.

Mar sin, will the Government consider bringing forward proposals or consider the issue around how to equip our teachers in this increasingly complex world for secondary school students and incorporate training on SPHE in the professional master of education degree?

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