Written answers

Wednesday, 15 April 2015

Department of Education and Skills

Teaching Council of Ireland

Photo of Jonathan O'BrienJonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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710. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the requirements for school placements set out by the Teaching Council of Ireland for qualifying as a teacher through professional master of education courses; the changes that were made to these requirements during the past 24 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14366/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority, under the Teaching Council Acts 2001- 2014, to review and accredit programmes of initial teacher education. Accredited professional master of education courses must meet the Council's initial teacher education requirements as set out in Initial Teacher Education: Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers.

All of the specific requirements for school placement are set out by the Teaching Council in its Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers and these have not changed since the Guidelines were published in 2011. The requirements set out that the total time spent on school placement by students must be 24 weeks or equivalent. There should be a minimum of two placement settings and at least one of the later placements should be for a minimum of 10 weeks in one school.

Having been awarded professional accreditation, it is a matter for the programme provider to determine how the initial teacher education programme is structured and implemented, and to ensure that all graduates have achieved the required learning outcomes to enable them to register with the Council.

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