Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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361. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of a full review of the PME. [31649/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Professional Master of Education (PME) is a two-year, full-time Level 9 postgraduate professional teacher education programme designed to qualify graduates as primary and post-primary teachers.

Changes to the duration and content of 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 accreditation standards. What was previously the ‘H-Dip’ of 18 months for primary and one-year for post-primary has now become the two-year PME for both. These standards were developed following extensive research and consultation to ensure the programme would effectively develop the skills, knowledge, understanding, and professional values expected of newly qualified teachers. These changes to the duration of the PME were introduced in 2014.

The reforms aimed to improve the quality of teaching and learning in schools, which is central to the educational outcomes of children. The extended duration allows for substantial periods of school placement and includes mandatory elements such as literacy, numeracy, and ICT in teaching and learning.

While there are currently no plans to carry out a full review of the PME programmes, the Department’s ongoing approach is to monitor all ITE programmes on an ongoing basis and to continue to develop further innovative measures to improve the availability of teachers.