A plan to allow primary teachers to work in second level schools is one of a number of options under consideration by Department of Education officials as a way of tackling staff shortages in classrooms.
Teacher shortages are one of the biggest issues facing the education sector with official reports showing that many secondary schools are struggling to fill teaching positions.
While many primary schools report difficulties finding substitute teachers, the problem is more acute at second level where there are hundreds of vacant posts in subjects such as maths and Irish.
Briefing material prepared for Minister for Education Helen McEntee states that primary enrolments have peaked in recent years and are projected to drop by 134,000 by 2036.
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“[This] will have a knock-on effect on the number of teaching posts in the system,” it states.
Second-level enrolments, on the other hand, are expected to peak next year with a projected increase of 32,000 students, which will lead to an increase in demand for post-primary teaching posts.
“The demand for additional post-primary teachers will continue for a number of years and further measures to increase the numbers available will need to be considered,” the briefing documents state.
These include a “universal teaching qualification” which could allow graduates teach in either primary or second level, as well as conversion programmes for primary teachers and additional upskilling measures.
Officials also suggest other measures such as further targeted bursaries and sharing subject teachers in high-demand subjects between schools.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, meanwhile, is conducting research into a teacher supply and demand model for Ireland, but this is not expected to report until 2027.
The Irish Times reported recently that an unpublished draft department report found more than 400 unfilled teaching posts at second level in the last academic year, with a further 800 occupied by teachers who were not qualified to teach the subject they were delivering.
The problems were most acute in the Greater Dublin Area, where principals and teachers’ unions say the housing crisis and cost-of-living difficulties are making it unaffordable to live, especially for newly qualified teachers.
The department has said there are more teachers than ever working in the education system while there has been a 20 per cent increase in teaching graduates over the last five years.
It has also said the public sector pay deal means teachers’ starting salaries are increasing to €46,000 for new entrants rising to a maximum of €85,000.
Separately, the briefing material indicates that at least 100 disadvantaged schools could benefit from a new “Deis-plus” category for enhanced funding.
Ms McEntee said earlier this week that schools with the highest concentrations of disadvantaged students should benefit from additional targeted supports.
Documents show that calls for additional funding have been led by 32 Deis schools in areas of Dublin such as Ballymun, Finglas, Darndale, Tallaght, Clondalkin and Jobstown.
Officials noted that there were approximately 100 other urban primary schools with a similar level of disadvantage to these schools.
