Shortage of teachers has to be addressed

TEACHER shortages are not unique to Ireland. The UK, US, New Zealand, not to mention the Middle East, are among the countries recruiting in the international market. On a straightforward analysis of the figures, Ireland is producing enough teachers to fill the nation’s classrooms, even with the increase in pupil numbers seen in the past decade.

At the height of the dark years of recession, teacher employment rose. It continues to grow to meet the demand from burgeoning enrolments and as a result of some post-recession staffing concessions.

The Department of Education and Skills says more than 5,000 extra teachers have been hired in the past two years and an additional 1,000 will be employed this year, without taking account of replacements, such as for retirements.

But schools are reporting difficulties at primary level in finding a substitute to fill in for an absent member of staff and, in post-primary schools, in recruiting teachers for certain subjects.

Irish teachers are held in high esteem around the world and so are in high demand internationally. It is a vote of confidence in the quality of Irish education graduates. None can be blamed for being attracted by the opportunity to work abroad for a couple of years, which appears to be a factor in the shortages now being experienced.

Other factors to which shortages are attributed include the absence of a system to ensure there are enough teachers qualified for each subject at second-level, a need for looser rules around re-engagement of retired teachers, and the length of the teachers’ pay scale. There is no quick fix and no one solution, but a solid response to attention being drawn to this issue is now required.