Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2023
298. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Education the role of her Department and that of the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in relation to developing and funding upskilling programmes for post-primary teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5315/23]
View answerIn 2018, my Department established a Steering Group on Teacher Supply to facilitate multi-agency engagement and to lead on a coordinated programme of actions to support the supply of teachers at post-primary level. Arising from the work of this Group and its various substructures, the Teacher Supply Action Plan was published in November 2018.
The Action Plan called for the development of upskilling programmes in targeted subject areas for existing teachers and, following a request from my Department, the HEA issued a funding call for upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish in late 2019. Following the successful completion of the funding call, these new programmes commenced in January 2021.
Upskilling programmes are provided free of cost to participants. My Department has agreed to extend funding in 2023 and to provide for additional capacity. Almost 350 places are being made available on the programmes this year. It is also intended that a new course for teachers to upskill in Irish will commence in 2023/2024.
The development of upskilling programmes supports the commitment of the Department to providing opportunities for teachers' learning (CPD) across the continuum of teacher education, particularly in the context of the Teaching Council's work with Cosán, the national framework for teachers' learning.
