Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Changes to the duration and content of all initial teacher education (ITE) programmes were made in response to recommendations in the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among children and Young People 2011-2020 and were incorporated into the Teaching Council’s Policy Paper on the Continuum of Teacher Education and Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers. The changes made to post graduate ITE programmes included the reconfiguration of their content and an increase in their duration to two years.

The lengthened and reconfigured programmes include substantial periods of school placement as central to student teacher development.

Accreditation of ITE programmes and the standards required to be registered as a teacher in Ireland are the responsibility of the Teaching Council. Revised standards for ITE were set out by the Teaching Council in Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education, published in 2020. These include a number of mandatory areas including seven core elements -

Inclusive Education

Global Citizenship Education

Professional Relationships and Working with Parents

Professional Identity and Agency

Creativity and Reflective Practice

Literacy and Numeracy

Digital Skills

Céim reaffirms that post-graduate ITE programmes shall be a minimum of two years’ duration.

These reforms are focused on improving the quality of teaching in our schools, which is central to the educational outcomes of our children. The changes made to the content and duration of the ITE programmes for primary and post primary teaching are in line with the aims of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and aim to ensure that newly qualified teachers are better equipped for the needs of modern day classrooms.

It is acknowledged that there are challenges around the availability of teachers at present. Earlier this year, I announced the approval of 610 additional places on primary initial teacher education programmes over the next two years. This measure is in addition to a number of measures taken and underway which are intended to address current challenges in the area of teacher supply in primary and post-primary schools. I and my Department continue to work collaboratively with the education partners to ensure teacher supply.

Many programmes of initial teacher education remain oversubscribed and there are no plans to reduce the current duration of the postgraduate ITE programmes to one year.