The Irish Times view on teacher shortages: much more can be done

By most yardsticks, Ireland has a high performing education system which is the envy of many of our neighbours. Latest available international comparisons indicate that our teenagers are among the best in the world at reading and above average for maths and science. Entry to teacher education remains highly competitive and our graduates are in demand right across the world.

There are signs, however, that the education system is under strain and wrestling with an urgent issue: teacher shortages. Recent surveys of school leaders at primary level indicate that more than 80 per cent have struggled to plug staffing gaps and are regularly forced to redeploy special education teachers to teach mainstream classes. At second level, a shortage of qualified teachers in key areas means some schools have been forced to narrow their subject offerings and use “out of field” teachers to take classes which they are not qualified to teach. These issues, along with pay, will feature prominently at teachers’ conferences this week. Most agree that teacher shortages are linked to the housing crisis, with young teachers in many urban areas opting to move to more affordable rural locations. Trade unions also claim more teachers are also voting with their feet and choosing to go abroad or retrain in other sectors, though this is disputed.

Minister for Education Norma Foley has, to be fair, taken many initiatives aimed at boosting teacher supply. They include lifting work restrictions for retired teachers, as well as those who are job-sharing or on career breaks. She has worked with the higher education sector to free up students to work in the classroom. However, many of these steps are sticking plaster solutions. While the housing crisis is beyond the control of a minister for education, there are additional measures which could well help boost teacher supply. Easing the heavy financial burden facing graduates considering a two-year professional Master of Education is one; financial incentives for students to train as teachers in priority subjects is another. In order to retain young staff, the full restoration of middle-management posts which were cut during austerity-era spending should be prioritised, as well as ensuring young teachers get access to meaningful contracts with full-time hours earlier in their careers.

Our education system has an excellent reputation globally. We cannot take it for granted. Teacher shortages threaten the quality of education at primary and second level. They affect students’ subject choices and access to high quality tuition. Diverting resources away from special education to plug gaps should never be an option. At the very least, young people deserve to be taught by qualified staff who have the skills to help them reach their full potential. The most vulnerable, especially, should never lose out.