Written answers

Wednesday, 25 October 2017

Department of Education and Skills

Teacher Training Provision

Photo of Thomas ByrneThomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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77. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the education of teachers is becoming too expensive and lengthy. [44944/17]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The quality of teaching in our schools is central to the educational outcomes of our children. That means that we have to have teachers with the right skills in our schools; skills relevant to Ireland’s changing needs and to meet the challenges of ensuring quality learning in all areas, including in current priority areas such as literacy and numeracy.

My Department’s National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020 and the work of the Teaching Council were the driving force for the reform of Teacher Education programmes.This is important work that, I believe, will benefit future generations and society as a whole

The improvements made include the reconfiguration of the content and increasing the duration of courses. Undergraduate initial teacher education programmes are now a minimum of four years duration and postgraduate programmes of two years duration.

I support the changes which are in line with the recommendations of the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and aim to ensure that newly qualified teachers are better equipped for the needs of the modern day classroom.

As the Deputy will be aware, there are a range of supports available to eligible students under the student grant scheme. For students entering undergraduate courses the scheme contains a number of qualifying thresholds increasing relative to the number of family dependents for various grant values. The highest income threshold, for a family of less than 4 dependent children, is €54,240. This will qualify a student for 50% of the student contribution. The highest level of maintenance grant is €5,915 (non-adjacent special rate of maintenance grant).

Students entering post graduate programmes who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the scheme are eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270. Alternatively, a postgraduate student may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the cost of their fees. The income threshold for this payment is €31,500 for the 2017/18 academic year, increasing relative to the number of family dependents.

In addition, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended.

Tax relief also is available on postgraduate tuition fees. Details in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners.

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