Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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529. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers, primary and secondary, respectively on secondment to the Professional Development Service for Teachers: if these teachers are to be redeployed back to education order to support social distancing and safe return to school; if so, the number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18849/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The quality of our teaching profession is a critical factor in sustaining and enhancing the quality of education outcomes. My Department promotes the quality of teaching and learning through the provision of continuing professional development (CPD) and supports for teachers and principals. The professional development needs of serving teachers in recent years have been addressed through the provision of an induction programme for newly-qualified teachers, dedicated support for school leaders, national CPD for curricular and policy reform, and ongoing support for teachers. My Department ensures that a range of high-quality models of CPD is provided to teachers and school leaders through its support services, the national network of Education Centres and appropriate groups, bodies and institutions who are empowered to design, develop and deliver CPD programmes.

The Department is developing guidance for schools to assist them in their planning for reopening so as to ensure that curricular priorities are delivered, ongoing student progression is supported and that teaching and learning is optimal in a new school environment.

In taking account of the loss of in-class time at the end of the 2019/2020 school year and recognising the potential challenges facing schools at the outset of the new school year, as they return following the extended period of closures since March 2020 due to the Covid-19 crisis support for teacher wellbeing, leadership, digital technologies and support for disadvantaged students will be areas where skilled PDST advisor support is likely to be required.

PDST supports are developed and delivered by both full time seconded teachers and a signficiant number of part-time associates who are released for short periods from the schools that they teach in.  

Secondment is the core model for the recruitment of 108 Primary and 71 Post Primary PDST educational personnel which is also supported by associates which are available to the PDST to delivery its programme of work as required. The PDST needs to ensure that it maintains sufficient experienced personnel to deliver its support programme to schools from September and while a number of the PDST secondees will be returning to school, I have no plans to significantly reduce the number of full time secondees that are allocated to the PDST to support schools for the 2020/21 school year.

However, I do anticipate that there will be a reduction in the use of part-time associates by the PDST as its focus will be predominately on delivering CPD online and out of school time for Term 1 2020/21 in order to minimise disruption to class contact time.