Written answers

Tuesday, 13 December 2022

Department of Education and Skills

School Staff

Photo of Donnchadh Ó LaoghaireDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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365. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers who are on secondment from schools to the TES section of her Department. [61943/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The teacher secondment scheme is designed to facilitate the temporary assignment of a teacher to a vacant position in a host organisation, where the work to be carried out by the seconded teacher is of clear benefit to the education system.

A secondment must be based on mutual agreement between the teacher, the school authority and the host organisation and is subject to approval by my Department. When considering secondment applications schools are requested to consider national/education objectives and policies and to facilitate, where possible, the release of teachers to national programmes for the benefit of the wider school community.

According to data from my Department’s Teachers Payroll System there are approximately 471 teachers on secondment at present.

A total of 348 teachers secondments are allocated to the Teacher Education Section (TES) funded support services and Education Centres. Of these, 147 are primary teachers and 193 are post primary teachers. In addition, teachers are seconded to a range of other support programmes including special education support services, representative bodies and other initiatives.

The four national Teacher Education Support Services are:

- Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST)

- Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT)

- National Induction Programme for Teachers (NIPT) and

- The Centre for School Leadership (CSL)

In addition, there are 21 full time and 7 part time Education Centres across the country.

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 school leaders. The professional development needs of serving teachers are 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.

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