Written answers

Tuesday, 22 September 2015

Department of Education and Skills

Teaching Qualifications

Photo of Charlie McConalogueCharlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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1196. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the ability of a college (details supplied) to continue to receive recognition from the Teaching Council for its Level 8 graduates to teach in Special Education settings in primary schools or in special education settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30439/15]

Photo of Jan O'SullivanJan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Under the Teaching Council Acts, the Teaching Council is the regulator and standards body for the teaching profession. One of the main functions of the Council is to register teachers.

Teachers are registered in accordance with the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2009, which set out the standards teachers must meet if they are to be registered.

Regulation 3, covering special education needs and Montessori, was put in place in accordance with the relevant circulars issued by the Department prior to the Council's establishment in 2006. In accordance with this regulation, such teachers are eligible for employment in restricted school settings i.e. in certain categories of special schools and in certain classes in mainstream schools where Irish is not a curricular requirement.

The Council is currently updating the 2009 Regulations. As the statutory professional standards body for teaching in Ireland, the Council is of the view that all teachers should be first and foremost qualified and registered as teachers in their given sector, whether primary or post primary. The Council has advised that Regulation 3 is no longer required and this advice has been accepted by my Department.

The Council has consulted with a number of stakeholders, including the College to which the Deputy refers. Following consultation, the Council has revised its draft regulations to provide that students who commenced this College's level 8 programme in September 2015 will remain eligible to register following graduation.

Should it wish to do so, it is open to the College to submit a revised programme to the Teaching Council for accreditation.

The Deputy should also be aware that individuals who graduate with a Level 8 qualification have access to recognition through the completion of a recognised Professional Masters in Education.

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