Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 May 2023
336. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education her views on the shortage of physics teachers in Gaeltacht schools; the measures being implemented to overcome this shortage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22834/23]
View answerThe Policy on Gaeltacht Education acknowledged that students at post-primary level who attend small Gaeltacht schools may have access to a more limited range of subject options, particularly for the Leaving Certificate. A key aim of that Policy has been to provide Gaeltacht students with the opportunity to access a wider range of subjects for Leaving Certificate through the medium of Irish. The establishment, and the continued expansion, of the e-Hub project aims to address this issue.
Students in nine post-primary schools located in the Gaeltacht are currently studying Leaving Certificate Physics and Chemistry through the e-Hub project funded by my Department.
Physics has been available to students through the e-Hub since its inception in September 2019. There are currently two e-Teachers based in two e-Hub schools delivering the Leaving Certificate Physics course to 20 students in five Gaeltacht post-primary schools (including three island schools) under the supervision of e-Mentors. 13 students completed the Leaving Certificate Physics examination in 2022.
My Department is also undertaking a comprehensive programme to support the supply of teachers, including the development of a programme up-skilling post-primary teachers to teach physics. The programme is delivered outside of class time and is offered at no cost to the teacher. Currently there are 130 teachers registered on the physics up-skilling programme, 10% of whom have sought support for teaching physics through the medium of Irish.
Additionally, a range of teacher education actions have been funded by my Department under the Policy on Gaeltacht Education to increase the supply of teachers available to teach effectively through the medium of Irish in Gaeltacht schools. At post-primary level, this has included:
- The provision of funding for a blended-learning M.Ed. on Irish-medium and Gaeltacht Education since 2018. 68 students have graduated from this Masters programme between 2020 and 2022.
- Two seconded teachers have been provided to support the Máistir Gairmiúil san Oideachas (MGO) in the University of Galway since 2017. 76 students have graduated from the Máistir Gairmiúil san Oideachas between 2020 and 2022.
COGG bursaries for students of the MGO have also been made available as a means of attracting students with Irish-language proficiency to the post-primary sector.
