James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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345. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure that third level students with leaving certificate grades are not subject to a new grading system that may cause them distress as they intend to pursue a professional master of education primary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54684/17]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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346. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to allow an exemption for students who commenced third level education prior to September 2017 with the aim of progressing into a professional master of education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54685/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 345 and 346 together.

I understand that the Deputy's is referring to the criteria for entry to primary Initial Teacher Education.

In addition to the CAO points required (in the case of the Bachelor of Education) or the third level award requirement (in the case of the Postgraduate Masters in Education) for entry to programmes of primary Initial Teacher Education, my Department specifies minimum entry requirements in the core subjects: Maths, English and Irish. This is to ensure that primary teachers have the capacity to lead in these significant areas of student learning.

In October 2017, I announced changes to these minimum entry requirements, as follows:

Entry 2018 - Irish: H5, English: H7/O5, Maths: H7/O6

Entry 2019 and entry 2020 - Irish: H4, English: H7/O4, Maths: H7/O4

The changes that I introduced took account of advice to me provided by the Teaching Council, which had engaged in a consultation process around a number of matters relating to entry to initial teacher education. Many of the issues identified were complex and the Council commissioned the ESRI to carry out a research to inform its deliberation.

The changes also had regard to the Department’s policy “Supporting a Better Transition from Second Level to Higher Education – Implementation and Next Steps” (2015).

In determining the revised entry requirements, care was taken not to disadvantage those students who have already commenced the senior cycle and who intend sitting the Leaving Certificate examinations in 2018. Accordingly, I decided that the minimum entry grades for entry to primary Initial Teacher Education programmes should be increased for 2019 and 2020, rather than from 2018.

The revision of entry criteria for primary initial teacher education is part of a wider range of actions being implemented or developed to achieve the objective of developing the continuum of teacher education to equip teachers with the right skills for 21st century teaching and learning, and the overall vision of making the Irish education and training system the best in Europe over the next decade.

Further changes to the minimum entry requirements from 2021 onwards will be considered in the light of experience, relevant policy developments and following consultation with relevant stakeholders.

I do not plan to further adjust the minimum entry requirements or to allow exemptions to the requirements, in advance of this.