Minister Foley announces new upskilling programme for post primary teachers in Irish
Clár uasoiliúna nua do mhúinteoirí iar-bhunscoile sa Ghaeilge fógartha ag an Aire Foley
Minister for Education Norma Foley TD has today announced that Trinity College Dublin, alongside Marino Institute of Education, has secured a contract to offer an innovative two-year programme aimed at enhancing the skills of registered post-primary teachers in Irish. Programme participants will be able to register to teach Irish to Leaving Certificate level in schools post-graduation.
The programme, beginning later this year, will be provided in a flexible and innovative manner to enable broad participation, accommodating teachers in both full and part-time roles, as well as those situated across the country.
This programme, which will be delivered by Trinity College Dublin[1] and Marino Institute of Education, will be delivered in a way that enables participants to engage in new learning experiences across face-to-face, online and practice-based learning.
Minister Foley said:
“I am pleased to announce the establishment of this innovative new upskilling programme in Irish. This is an exciting opportunity for teachers to upskill in a flexible way, without having to pay any fees, to increase their own opportunities for employment whilst addressing recruitment challenges in Irish. I would strongly urge any registered post-primary teacher with a potential interest in Irish to look into this programme and assess their options further with the relevant Higher Education Institution.
“I want to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate Trinity College Dublin and Marino Institute of Education for coming forward with this programme to help improve post-primary teacher supply in Irish.
“I look forward to seeing this new upskilling programme up and running alongside the current programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish which have been undertaken by over 900 teachers in total to date. The department will also shortly publish tenders for additional upskilling programmes in subjects where there are identified needs for additional teachers including computer science, French, and politics & society. These upskilling programmes are one of a number of measures the department is implementing to help ensure that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning.”
Notes
This upskilling programme in Irish will be open to registered post-primary teachers irrespective of employment status who are not already registered in the subject of Irish.
Similar to previous upskilling programmes supported by the department, i.e. mathematics, physics and Spanish, places on this upskilling programme will be provided free of charge to participating teachers with the funding awarded intended to cover fee costs. Over 900 post-primary teachers are currently undertaking, or have completed upskilling programmes.
Funding will support two cycles (two intakes) of the programme, commencing in December 2024 and September 2025 respectively. The programme is funded for both intakes and it is expected to cater for over 100 teachers during this period.
The application processes will open shortly and applications should be made directly to the appropriate HEI. The programme will enable participants to meet the Teaching Council’s curricular subject requirements in Irish. On graduation from the programme participants will be able to register to teach Irish at the highest level in post-primary education.
A further expansion in the number of upskilling programmes available to post-primary teachers will commence. The department will shortly publish tenders for upskilling programmes in French, politics and society, and computer science. Funding for these programmes was provided in Budget 2024.
[1] Subject to internal approval
Clár uasoiliúna nua do mhúinteoirí iar-bhunscoile sa Ghaeilge fógartha ag an Aire Foley
Cuirfear an clár páirtaimseartha seo, a thosóidh níos déanaí i mbliana, ar fáil ar bhealach solúbtha agus nuálaíochta chun rannpháirtíocht leathan a chumasú, chun freastal ar mhúinteoirí i róil lánaimseartha agus pháirtaimseartha araon, chomh maith leo siúd atá lonnaithe ar fud na tíre.
Déanfar an clár, a chuirfidh Coláiste na Tríonóide[1], Baile Átha Cliath agus Institiúid Oideachais Marino ar fáil, a sholáthar ar bhealach a chuirfidh ar chumas rannpháirtithe tabhairt faoi eispéiris foghlama nua thar fhoghlaim duine le duine, ar líne agus bunaithe ar chleachtas.
Dúirt an tAire Foley:
"Tá áthas orm a fhógairt go mbunófar an clár nuálach uasoiliúna nua seo sa Ghaeilge. Is deis spreagúil í seo do mhúinteoirí uas-oiliúint a fháil ar bhealach solúbtha, gan aon táillí a íoc, chun cur lena ndeiseanna fostaíochta féin agus aghaidh a thabhairt ar dhúshláin earcaíochta sa Ghaeilge ag an am céanna. Mholfainn go láidir d'aon mhúinteoir cláraithe iar-bhunscoile a bhféadfadh suim a bheith aige/aici sa Ghaeilge breathnú ar an gclár seo agus measúnú breise a dhéanamh ar a roghanna leis an Institiúid Ardoideachais ábhartha.
"Ba mhaith liom an deis seo a thapú chun buíochas a ghabháil le Coláiste na Tríonóide, Baile Átha Cliath agus Institiúid Oideachais Marino agus comhghairdeas a dhéanamh leo as teacht chun cinn leis an gclár seo chun feabhas a chur ar an soláthar múinteoirí iar-bhunscoile sa Ghaeilge.
"Tá mé ag súil go mór leis an gclár uasoiliúna nua seo a fheiceáil agus é faoin lán seoil in éineacht leis na cláir reatha sa mhatamaitic, san fhisic agus sa Spáinnis atá déanta ag breis agus 900 múinteoir san iomlán go dtí seo. Chomh maith leis sin, foilseoidh an roinn tairiscintí do chláir bhreise uasoiliúna in ábhair ina bhfuil riachtanais aitheanta do mhúinteoirí breise lena n-áirítear ríomheolaíocht, Fraincis, agus an pholaitíocht agus an tsochaí. Tá na cláir uasoiliúna seo ar cheann de roinnt beart atá á gcur i bhfeidhm ag an roinn chun cabhair a thabhairt lena chinntiú go bhfuil taithí gach linbh ar scoil dearfach agus go bhfuil múinteoirí cáilithe, atá gafa leis an gcúram ar fáil dóibh chun tacú leo ina gcuid foghlama."
Nótaí
Beidh an clár uasoiliúna seo sa Ghaeilge oscailte do mhúinteoirí cláraithe iar-bhunscoile beag beann ar a stádas fostaíochta, ar múinteoirí iad nach bhfuil cláraithe cheana féin agus an Ghaeilge mar ábhar acu.
Cosúil le cláir uasoiliúna roimhe seo a fuair tacaíocht ón roinn, i.e. matamaitic, fisic agus Spáinnis, cuirfear áiteanna ar an gclár uasoiliúna seo ar fáil saor in aisce do mhúinteoirí rannpháirteacha agus é beartaithe go gclúdódh an maoiniú a bhronnfar costais na dtáillí. Tá os cionn 900 múinteoir iar-bhunscoile ag tabhairt faoi chláir uasoiliúna faoi láthair, nó tá cláir uasoiliúna curtha i gcrích acu.
Tacóidh an maoiniú le dhá thimthriall (dhá iontógáil) den chlár, ag tosú i mí na Nollag 2024 agus i mí Mheán Fómhair 2025 faoi seach.
Osclófar na próisis iarratais go luath agus ba chóir iarratais a dhéanamh go díreach chuig an Institiúid Ardoideachais chuí. Cuirfidh an clár ar chumas rannpháirtithe riachtanais ábhair churaclaim na Comhairle Múinteoireachta a chomhlíonadh sa Ghaeilge. Tar éis dóibh an clár a bheith curtha i gcrích go rathúil acu, beidh rannpháirtithe in ann clárú chun an Ghaeilge a theagasc ag an leibhéal is airde san iar-bhunoideachas.
Cuirfear tús le méadú eile ar líon na gclár uasoiliúna atá ar fáil do mhúinteoirí iar-bhunscoile. Foilseoidh an roinn tairiscintí go luath le haghaidh cláir uasoiliúna sa Fhraincis, sa pholaitíocht agus sa tsochaí, agus sa ríomheolaíocht. Cuireadh maoiniú ar fáil do na cláir sin i mBuiséad 2024.
[1] Faoi réir ceadú inmheánach