Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 169: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the growing feminisation of the primary school profession; if he has a view on this issue; his views on whether female and male teachers in the classroom provide balanced role models for children, particularly those from single parent families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22332/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am aware that there are more females than males entering the teaching profession and believe that it is important to attract more men into teaching for a number of reasons, not least of which is the positive role models that teachers provide in children's lives and the desirability of having both male and female role models in our schools.

I believe that teaching is an attractive profession for both men and women. Teaching is fulfilling work which makes a huge social contribution. This Government wants to attract and reward the best teachers and has undertaken a number of initiatives to enhance the status of the profession. Not least of these is the establishment of the Teaching Council as a professional regulatory body.

In November 2005 the Report of the Primary Education Committee, 'Males into Primary Teaching' was launched. The Primary Education Committee was established in order to examine a range of issues in relation to males entering primary teaching, and to make recommendations on short-term and long-term strategies to increase the numbers in this regard. The Report draws on the professional insight of key experts in this area as well as drawing on a number of relevant research studies.

One of the key recommendations in this report was that a coordinated promotion campaign, which would encourage boys as well as girls to enter primary teaching should be undertaken. This promotion campaign commenced in 2006 and promoted the rewards of being a teacher such as the value to society, work/life balance, career satisfaction, diversity of skills, professional development, conditions of employment and job security.

Since the launch of the campaign the number of male student teachers has risen slightly from 124 in 2005 to 185 in 2007.