The Government is to increase the places available to postgraduate students on primary-teacher training courses, it was announced today.
Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin said an extra 210 places were being provided, bringing the number in the four colleges offering such training to 490.
"Taking the numbers studying for postgraduate programmes along with those undertaking the B. Ed, there are now over 3,600 men and women studying to become primary school teachers," she said.
Ms Hanafin said 1,280 new primary school teachers will qualify in 2009, increasing to 1,500 next year.