Pupils skip school due to a lack of teachers in key subjects
Shortage is causing stress for students in the points race
LEAVING Cert students are choosing to study at home because of a teacher shortage crisis in key subjects, according to an organisation for school management bodies.
School pupils are also becoming increasingly stressed as they face into the points race without adequate teaching in certain subjects.
Some pupils caught up in the points race are skipping school because they do not have teachers with adequate skills in a variety of subjects, according to Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI).
A report compiled by the organisation that represents management bodies for a third of all secondary schools – or more than 100,000 students – said that in many cases teaching jobs have been advertised up to 14 times “to no avail”.
One school had no German teacher up to Christmas and the deputy principal had to teach as many classes as they could, it emerged.
Another school reported in December last that it had no maths or resource teacher since the start of the year.
In another case, a school had to wait a month for a new teacher because the school they were leaving was reluctant to release them as it could not get a substitute.
“There is a growing concern around attendance rates of students where a large proportion of class time is being lost due to lack of suitably qualified teachers,” said a submission by the organisation to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills.
“Students are opting to study at home, particularly at senior level.”
It also said there has been an increase in parents’ complaints about the lack of curriculum coverage in some schools.
“In some cases, parents and guardians are expressing concerns regarding the impact the stress caused by having no teachers in certain subjects is having on their sons’ or daughters’ mental health as they need to ensure they acquire the necessary points to get onto their chosen college course,” it said.
Concern
‘Parents are concerned about the impact the stress caused by having no teachers in certain subjects is having’
General secretary of the ETBI Michael Moriarty said those studying at home were in classes from Junior Cert level upwards.
“These are isolated cases but still eyebrow-raising,” he said.
“It shows the seriousness of the situation in some areas and points to the need to move quickly with proposals to address these skills shortages among teachers.
“The report was based on a survey that reflects varying responses around the country to what is a growing concern about the lack of qualified teachers in certain subjects.”
The survey pinpointed a low level of applications for teaching jobs in French, German, Spanish, Irish, home economics, career guidance and higher level maths.
It also found Irish-speaking schools were having a serious problem finding teachers who could teach through the language.