It now takes up to six years to qualify as a second-level teacher, and with few financial supports, candidates who don’t have independent means are finding it hard to get a foot in the door. Jess Casey, Education Correspondent, reports.
"I am constantly worried about being in huge debt after the professional master's in education (PME) and whether I will be able to pay it back. Having to take out such a big loan is financially crippling."
That's how one student described to researchers the financial stress of teacher training.
Dr Mark Prendergast, University College Cork (UCC), and Dr Melanie Ní Dhuinn and Dr Andrew Loxley, Trinity College Dublin, studied how money worries were impacting teacher training.
The Irish Examiner| Read More (External Link)
‘We have a very middle-class teaching profession here’ (The Irish Examiner PDF)