gov - Reminder - closing date for applications for entry to post primary teaching postgraduate courses in NUI universities, DCU and UL expires on Friday 13 April 2018

Further to the recent decision to provide additional places in post primary initial teacher education programmes, the Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD, wishes to remind eligible graduates and undergraduates that there is still time to apply for entry to programmes in the priority subject areas of STEM (Mathematics, Applied Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry), Irish and foreign languages.

The additional places were provided following consultation with the Irish Universities Association. Details can be found at www.pac.ie and individual university websites.

The closing date for applications to the NUI universities, DCU and UL is Friday 13 April 2018. Please note that applications to the NUI universities and DCU must be received by the Postgraduate Application Centre by 12 noon on this date.

The closing date for applications to TCD has been extended to 30 April 2018 (priority subject areas other than Maths and Applied Maths) and 31 May 2018 (Maths and Applied Maths).

The initiative is one of a suite of actions being undertaken to provide more teachers to meet school needs in coming years. The Minister recently established a high level Steering Group which will develop a strategy on teacher supply over coming months.

Additional places are also being provided in initial teacher education undergraduate programmes and intending students can use the CAO “change of mind” facility up to 1st July next.

Within the context of the overall ambition to become the best in Europe, the government has set out very ambitious targets in the STEM, foreign languages and digital strategies. Each of these strategies is committed to taking action to address the supply of teachers in these areas. The additional places will help ensure the system can respond more readily to national priorities and the needs of schools.

Careers in Post Primary Education Video is available here: www.education.ie/teaching.

ENDS

Actions being taken to provide more teachers to meet school needs include:

the Universities will increase the capacity on undergraduate initial teacher education programmes by an estimated 280 places in 2018
this includes an increase in the priority areas of STEM, Irish and foreign languages of more than 100 places, an increase of over 40% on 2017 in these areas
at postgraduate level, the Universities will increase the capacity on PME programmes by more than 100 places in the priority areas of STEM, Irish and foreign languages
the NUI universities, DCU and UL have extended the closing date to Friday 13 April for applications for entry to PME programmes for Irish and the targeted STEM and foreign language subjects (Mathematics, Applied Maths, Physics, Chemistry, French, German, Spanish and Italian)
the closing date for applications for entry to PME programmes for Irish and the targeted STEM and foreign language subjects PME programmes in TCD has been extended to 30 April 2018 (subjects other than Maths and Applied Maths) and 31 May 2018 (Maths and Applied Maths)

Notes to the Editor:

Minister Bruton has already taken a number of measures to alleviate pressures in this area:

the restriction on the number of days a teacher can work while on career break has been temporarily lifted
employers were reminded that “in considering applications for career breaks, the welfare and educational needs of the pupils shall take precedence over all other considerations and accordingly, must take account of the availability of appropriate qualified replacement teachers"
the number of students admitted to St. Angela's, Sligo, in the current year, to study the home economics programme has been increased
as part of the policy on Gaeltacht education, the Minister has also made funding available for the provision of two additional posts tor the existing Irish medium post primary initial teacher education programme in NUIG and is increasing from 2018/19 the number of places available on the programme
all teachers retiring in 2017 were informed that in order to remain eligible for employment in a state funded teaching post for a period of more than five consecutive days or to supervise the State examinations, they must maintain their registrations with the Teaching Council