Teachers across the country have voiced reaction to reports that Education Minister Norma Foley is considering suspending career breaks for teachers as part of urgent measures to tackle staff shortages.
Across Ireland, primary schools have reported they are struggling to find substitute teachers for cover, while second level schools nationwide have said they are experiencing challenges trying to find qualified teachers in key subjects.
It comes as Minister Foley is set to attend an OECD meeting in Paris today. On Tuesday, Ms Foley briefed Ministers on various options currently being considered by her Department to combat staff shortages at an incorporeal Cabinet meeting.
At present, under existing rules, a teacher can take a career break for a year or more which can be extended, subject to the approval of their employer, for up to five years at any one time, or ten years in the course of a teacher’s career.
However, in a memo going to Cabinet today, the Education Minister says her department will also re-evaluate the teacher supply consultative form to see where it can be enhanced, and whether there needs to be a more significant revaluation to make it more targeted and action focused.
The memo outlines how, where increased supports and representation is needed, the Department will provide that, along with increased consultation with the partners in education, including teacher unions. A range of measures being considered in the memo include fast-tracking the registration of teachers coming from abroad.
It is also understood that the department is also examining extra personal vacation (EPV) days and ‘course’ days that a teacher can take off during the school year in return for doing a summer course.
Many in the profession have responded to the controversial proposals, with some expressing the view that a decision to axe career breaks would only lead to some teachers leaving the profession altogether.
Primary School principal Simon Lewis took to Twitter to say he believes that the crisis in staff is not being addressed properly, adding that staff who wish to take unpaid time away to bring up children should not be stopped from doing so.
“We have a teacher crisis…so instead of doing something about it, we’ll just make scapegoats of teachers who might wish to take some time away (unpaid) to raise a family,” he tweeted.
We have a teacher crisis…so instead of doing something about it, we'll just make scapegoats of teachers who might wish to take some time away (unpaid) to raise a family.https://t.co/CRaRoPP7AB
— Simon Lewis 👨🏻🎓🎙📌✍🏽 (@simonmlewis) December 6, 2022
The current shortage of Irish teachers should come as no surprise, according to 3rd to 6th class teacher Niall Farrell.
“The media in 2020 & 2021 facilitated teacher bashing,” he said, adding that the reasons for staff shortages include teacher bashing, better wages abroad, teacher burnout, and a lack of respect given to those in the profession.
“Newsflash […] Restricting career breaks won’t fix it folks!” he said.
The media in 2020 & 2021 facilitated teacher bashing
Now in 2022, they’re asking why we have a shortage of teachers 🤷♂️
Here’s a few reasons👇🏻
➡️Teacher bashing
➡️Better wages abroad
➡️No respect
➡️Teacher burnoutNewsflash 🚨
Restricting career breaks won’t fix it folks!— Niall Farrell (@NiallFarrell218) December 6, 2022
A female teacher expressed similar opposition to the plan, tweeting: “Forget cancelling teacher career breaks. Instead cancel teacher secondment. It will sort the teacher shortage out and clear the Dail all in one go”.
https://twitter.com/thebeauttruth/status/1600177280503799821?s=20&t=LaLhFSeIMI7Bv0O9zhAmPQ
Another primary school principal, reacting on social media, seemed incredulous at the news, tweeting:
“You’d really wonder about the capacity of some of the people involved in these discussions.
“We’re really struggling to attract and retrain teachers” /”I’ve got the perfect solution”.
You'd really wonder about the capacity of some of the people involved in these discussions.
"We're really struggling to attract and retrain teachers"
"I've got the perfect solution"https://t.co/2iiIsaHlD3
— Trina Golden (@CatrionaGolden) December 6, 2022
“So after 15 years of making the pay, terms and conditions of teachers worse the big plan from the DES to deal with the ongoing teacher shortage is to, er, make terms and conditions even more worse. Thick as planks in Marlborough St,” another teacher said, expressing similar disbelief at the proposal.
So after 15 years of making the pay, terms and conditions of teachers worse the big plan from the DES to deal with the ongoing teacher shortage is to, er, make terms and conditions even more worse.
Thick as planks in Marlborough St.https://t.co/Q9XUA7oj4j— Robert (@Eintrachtrob) December 6, 2022
Meanwhile, Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) said it “deplores the lack of engagement and consultation” by Ms Foley on potential changes to teachers’ terms and conditions.
In a statement, the trade union for Irish teachers said it has repeatedly requested an emergency meeting with the department to explore solutions to the ongoing teacher supply crisis. It said that, to date, it has not received a single response to a formal request for a meeting made some 50 days ago.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) said a decision to scrap career breaks would make teaching “less attractive” and ultimately “worsen the teacher recruitment crisis”.