More substitute teachers may be available to tackle staff shortages in schools if they were paid for travel costs, according to an internal Department of Education report on teacher supply.
A lack of substitute teachers is disrupting education at primary level in particular, with many schools forced to split classes when staff teachers are sick or away for short absences. A study, completed by the department in August last year, says “insufficient” levels of cover are being provided across schools despite a large cohort of substitute teachers available for work.
It estimates that in the 2022/23 school year there were just over 74,000 permanent teaching staff spread across primary (42,000) and second level (32,000) in mainstream schools. During the same year a total of just over 33,000 individuals provided substitution work at primary (24,000) and second level (9,000).
The report – obtained by The Irish Times under the Freedom of Information Act – says that the absence of a classroom teacher “triggers the immediate need for cover” and helps explain the large size of this temporary workforce. “As such substitute teachers are an essential part of the overall functioning of the education system,” it says.
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On average substitute teachers provided cover for a small proportion of the school year – 25 per cent on average in cases of substitutes at primary and 35 per cent at second level.
A survey of almost 300 substitutes, undertaken by the department, was conducted to “better understand teachers’ attitudes to substitution work” and to identify any barriers “that prevent teachers from providing substitution work”. The most common factor that limited teachers’ work was the location of the school, with almost one third of substitutes citing this as a key reason.
When asked if they would accept a longer commute if paid for travel costs, most (64 per cent) said “yes” or “maybe”.
Most said they travelled by car and commuted in excess of 11km. A large proportion travelled 11-30km (43 per cent) or more than 30km (24 per cent).
Other factors affecting substitute teachers’ availability included personal reasons, followed by remuneration.
The survey results showed regional differences, with teachers outside Dublin addresses more likely to be available to work for more hours per week than Dublin teachers.
Teachers with less than five years of teaching experience were much more likely to have been available to work for longer periods. Also travel costs were a much bigger concern for less experienced teachers than for more experienced teachers.
The most common method of getting substitution work was contact with a school principal, followed by the online platform “sub seeker” or via other teachers.
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