Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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71. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact the higher diploma in education is to be replaced by a two year masters degree in education from 2014 if his attention has been drawn to the fact the back to education allowance is not available for a masters degree in education, as it was for the higher diploma in education, and maintenance grants are not available for the course; the reason these changes were made; if such changes are a disincentive to enter the teaching profession; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48466/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Recommendations for changes to initial teacher education were included in the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020 and have been incorporated into the Teaching Council's Policy Paper on the Continuum of Teacher Education and Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers. Both were published in 2011. The improvements to be made to post graduate courses for post-primary teaching include the reconfiguration of the content and the subsequent increasing of the duration of courses to two years.

The lengthened and reconfigured programmes will include substantial periods of school placement as central to student teacher development and a number of mandatory elements such as literacy and numeracy, adolescent learning, teaching, learning and assessment including school and classroom planning, differentiation, behaviour management, inclusive education (special education, multiculturalism, disadvantage, etc) and ICT in teaching and learning. The reconfigured extended post primary consecutive programmes are due to commence in September 2014.

The designation of the reconfigured and extended programmes, e.g. as Masters or postgraduate programmes, is a matter for the higher education institutions involved.

With effect from the 2012/13 academic year maintenance support is not available for students entering postgraduate courses. Those who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270.

A postgraduate student may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the costs of their fees. The income threshold for this payment is €31,500 for the 2013/14 academic year, increasing relative to the number of family dependents.

The Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) is a matter for the Minister for Social Protection.