Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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321. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans her Department has to recruit teachers who would teach on an online only basis, such an option proving attractive to many; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6483/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In accordance with DepartmentCircular 44/2019 and Circular 31/2011, which are available on the Department’s website undergov.ie - Department of Education (www.gov.ie), schools are required to employ appropriately qualified teachers and ensure that unemployed teachers should be offered employment in preference to those who have retired. These measures were taken in an effort to increase employment opportunities for unemployed teachers.

Budget 2024 contains a range of measures that demonstrate my commitment to continued investment in our education system, including a professional masters’ of education incentive scheme for newly qualified teachers. Those newly qualified teachers who graduate with a PME will, subject to some conditions, be eligible for an incentive payment of up to €2,000. This incentive payment will be paid to eligible primary and post-primary teachers in 2025.

Additionally, there will be an expansion in the number of upskilling programmes available. These programmes, which are free to teachers, increase the number of teachers who are qualified to teach in-demand subjects and reduce the level of out-of-field teaching. These new upskilling programmes in Irish, French, politics and society, and computer science will be in addition to existing upskilling programmes in maths, physics and Spanish.

An additional 1,000 posts of responsibility will be provided in the school system for the 2024/25 school year. This is in recognition that school leaders play a key role in improving educational outcomes by creating a positive school climate and environment as well as motivating and empowering educators and learners within their school communities.

It is important to note, that while remote teaching and learning was a necessity during the pandemic, the teaching model in Ireland is for in-person teaching and learning delivered in school settings, notwithstanding that, to facilitate effective approaches to supporting learning in a remote environment, schools are advised to develop and adopt a model for learning that will support continuity of education regardless of school closure or inability of a class group or pupil/student to attend school.

In November 2020, circular (No. 0074/2020) issued to all schools advising them of the requirement to put in place appropriate contingency measures, to include a Communication and Learning Platform, to ensure that there would be continuity of teaching and learning in the event of a full or partial school closure. While those circumstances are no longer envisaged, such platforms remain relevant to assist in the meaningful, mediated usage of digital technology in teaching and learning, and to facilitate school administration and communication.

It is important to note that digital technology is a tool to be employed by teachers to deliver the curriculum and that it is not replacing the teacher in the teaching process. Regular engagement with pupils and students, appropriate and engaging learning opportunities, assessment and constructive feedback is and will continue to be an important elements for the delivery of education.

Extensive support and advice for teachers and schools to assist in the embedding of digital technologies in teaching and learning is made available through my Department’s support service, Oide (formally the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST)) and its Technology in Education team at Online Learning - Oide Technology in Education.

This resource includes information on popular communication and learning platforms, digital tools and resources, video conferencing, webinars to support and inspire teachers to identify good practice and a dedicated online course for teachers for remote learning. The Department’s Education website www.scoilnet.ie also contains a wealth of curriculum tagged resources that can be used by teachers, students and parents to support the continuity of learning in the remote environment.

The Gaeltacht e-Hub Project was established to provide Gaeltacht post-primary students with the opportunity to access a greater range of Senior Cycle subjects via blended learning, through the medium of Irish. In the 2023-24 school year, 30 students in ten post-primary schools located in the Gaeltacht (including three island schools) are studying Leaving Certificate Physics and/or Chemistry through the e-Hub. Nine students completed the Leaving Certificate Physics course though the e-Hub in 2023.

My Department continues to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further, innovative measures to address teacher supply and recruitment issues.